Purpose: To encourage the study of garden history and design and, if possible, aid in cataloguing The Garden Club of America Collection in the Archives of American Gardens (AAG) at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.
History: Since its founding, The Garden Club of America has supported the recording and study of gardens and landscape design. GCA was one of the prime sponsors of early garden photography and 1919 formed the Slide Committee to document not only the gardens of members but also historic gardens of the past and present. From 1920 to 1935, GCA commissioned over 2000 glass lantern slides, many hand-colored by the artist Edward van Altena. These and other images became the backbone of the GCA-sponsored reference Gardens of Colony and State, written by Alice G. B. Lockwood and first published in 1930. The slides also formed the beginning of an extensive collection of garden images that were donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1987 to create the Archive of American Gardens. Today the Garden History & Design Committee of the GCA supports the study and recording of landscape history and contemporary garden design by continuing to contribute images to the AAG. Committee members also generated a fund to provide internships, which in 1997 was transferred to the Scholarship Committee.
Provisions: Annually funds one or more students at up to $4000 each for a ten week internship available year-round at the AAG or the equivalent at another institution.
Criteria for Eligibility
For graduate candidate in museum studies, public history, or information studies with courses in collections management for archives or museums. Requires a very high attention to detail and excellent organizational skills, excellent writing abilities and communication skills, knowledge of DACS, MARC, and EAD standards, previous experience working with photographic or visual materials preferred. Eligibility is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled in a U.S. - based institution.
Scholarship Categories
Community and Leadership Development | First Year | Horticulture | Hospitality Management and Tourism | Landscape Architecture | Natural Resources and Environmental Science | Sustainable Agriculture | Undergraduate