Museum Curator Passionate About UNH History
By Shannon Bryant
January 16, 2008
Photo by Christina VanHorn,
Human Resources
Volunteerism has always figured prominently in the life of museum curator
Dale Valena.
“While one needs a Master’s degree in museum studies these
days, I started as a volunteer at the Seattle Art Museum and worked my
way into the art museum field,” Valena says. “Hands-on experience
at the very least is required, which is how I was able to get a job without
a degree. My first exhibition experience was with the King Tut exhibition
in the late 1970s.”
Valena began her career with UNH part-time back in 1989 by packing the
museum collection from storage in the Field House to its new location in
Thompson Hall. The museum was first opened in the mid-1960s by Phil Wilcox,
and then closed in the 1970’s. When the Dimond Library was renovated
in 1998, the museum moved to its present location.
Currently, Valena’s main responsibilities include organizing and
installing two exhibitions per year, managing the museum’s collection
and assisting in the special collections/archives department.
“I love my job because it’s always changing; there’s
a process with an end and then a new beginning,” she says. “I
love the deadlines because they keep me on track and coming up with an
idea for an exhibition and if I pull it off well, is the most satisfying
experience.”
“My supervisor and our dean have been really supportive of me and
my work. The staff of special collections and archives contributes to each
exhibition in some way. I use the archives collections for much of the
research and exhibition materials, and the archives assistant is a walking
encyclopedia of UNH history. These people have had a very positive impact
on me. Additionally, the opportunity to finish my undergraduate degree
at UNH (’04) is something that I am deeply grateful for, and appreciative
of.”
When asked what she enjoys most about working at UNH, Valena said, “The
staff here is great, and I love the students. I like the seasonal changes
on campus with the busy semesters balanced by the quiet summers. I love
the research intensity of the job that then turns into a hands-on creative
experience.”
As an inveterate volunteer, Valena presently volunteers with a local grassroots
energy committee (Oyster River Carbon Challenge) and also helps with the
annual Seacoast Concert for a Cure (breast cancer fundraiser).
“I love music and I hope to one day resume a postponed career as
a lounge singer,” she says. “Until then, I enjoy hanging out
with my hubby and college-aged kids.”
You can visit the university museum in Dimond Library to explore the current
exhibit by Valena, titled "Up Close and Personal: A Look at the NH
Primaries". The exhibit presents a local collection of political memorabilia
and offers a look at the unique access to candidates and chronicles the
New Hampshire primaries. For more information on the exhibit, which will
be on display until January 22, visit: http://unh.edu/news/campusjournal/2007/Sep/19politics.cfm.
The museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday,
12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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