Erin McGough recently joined the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society as the town’s newest Collections Manager. We chatted with her to find out just what her job entails -- which does not include going after folks for unpaid bills, but does require a strong appreciation for art history.

What did you do prior to joining the staff at the Rural and Historical Society?

I was the registrar at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Before that, I was the collections manager for almost eight years at the Concord Museum Have you always been interested in art history?

I discovered art history in high school, although I’d had an inclination toward general history prior to that. We had a tremendous teacher named Alice DeLana who infused the subject with her energy and enthusiasm. I was hooked. When I went to college, I got my first paid position in the registrar’s office at the Muscarelle Museum of Art (College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Va.) and that was it – I’ve been working in collections management ever since. 

What kinds of things have you worked on since joining the Rural and Historical Society in Duxbury?

I joined the Society in mid-December and so I’m just getting my feet under me, trying to become familiar with the collection and the buildings, and determining which processes can be made more efficient. I recently wrote a Collections Management Policy, which is a document that will help guide the Society in meeting best practices in museum collections management, and will lay out a framework for how we collect and preserve our collection and buildings.

At the King Caesar’s Christmas event in December, a number of objects were “adopted” by generous benefactors for conservation treatment, so I’ve been working to get each of those objects out to appropriate conservators. I’m also starting to work on the Society’s summer exhibition, and to that end, I’m doing a lot of reading, trying to absorb the history of the town.

What’s the most interesting part of your job?

Every museum strives to have good inventory, to know what they have and where it is. But the job is never done – it seems you are forever opening a closet or a shoebox with stuff in it that you’ve never seen before. That element of surprise is like treasure hunting and it never gets old. I also really appreciate that I have unusual access to collections – so many things in storage are never seen by the public given the sheer volume of the collection, and it is an honor to be able to walk through the racks and get a private view.

What is your favorite museum?

One of my all-time favorite museums is right here in Boston – the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. I’ve always appreciated that the museum has not only great art, but also an entire experience wrapped up in that amazing building they are housed in. And now, of course, they are expanding with a new wing. 

But great museums are not limited to the large and famous. We are fortunate here in New England to have a multitude of historic sights, historical societies, and small museums working hard to preserve the past and make it relevant for the future. Did you know that the Freetown Historical Society has a fascinating collection of antique cars? That the Fire Museum in New Bedford has an incredible selection of 19th and early 20th century fire equipment? Or that there is a museum in Clinton, Mass. that specializes in Russian icons? There is something for every museum goer out there.

What is your favorite piece of artwork?

I’m not sure I can name a single one; art speaks to you differently at various times in your life, and your tastes can change. Back in high school, I saw Frederick Leighton’s Flaming June on display at the Smithsonian. The painting is of a young woman on a hot summer day, draped in diaphanous orange robes, sleeping. It was the first time I had a visceral reaction to a work of art. I could almost feel the heat radiating off the canvas; the painting just seemed to pop off the wall. As a more experienced museum visitor, I now recognize that the display was masterfully done – with complementary wall colors, excellent display, and great lighting to complement the work. But all I knew at the time was that I was transfixed. I still have a print of that painting on my wall at home, to remind me of why I got into this field to begin with.

Do you bring your love of history into your home, such as in the design or décor?

I married a high school history teacher, and we bought a house in Bridgewater that dates to 1881. It needed a lot of work, and still does. But we wanted an older house, with some character, and we’ve enjoyed making it our own.

Favorite part of Duxbury?

I can’t say enough about the warm welcome I’ve received from the staff and membership of the Society. I can see readily the care exercised by the Society in preserving its collection and buildings, and I can see that the town as a whole shares that sense of conservation and preservation. I am honored to be joining the community.