One of the meaningful and powerful ways that the Museum is able to preserve and interpret Northwoods wilderness heritage through learning opportunities inspired by Dorothy Molter is through our Small Museum Management [paid] Internship.
YOU can help us provide free housing to our 2026 interns during Give to the Max! We have a matching grant for $1,200 – all donations over $10 will be doubled between 8am-8pm November 20!
Securing summer workforce housing in Ely has been a big challenge for several years. There is both a lack of available housing and an increased cost of living. By providing housing, we are removing a significant barrier to applicants to our program.
Through the Dorothy Molter Museum’s Small Museum Management Internship we are quite literally leading the next generation of Northwoods stewards to make a significant contribution toward a better world through Dorothy’s legacy of perseverance, integrity and generosity. As much as the Dorothy Molter Museum is part of Dorothy’s legacy, this internship program is all of our shared legacy.
Here are a few of our past internship participant stories…
I first came to the Dorothy Molter Museum as a fresh graduate from the U of M. I had always felt a very strong passion for history, but once I had my degree, I wasn’t sure what my next steps should be. Working as an intern at the museum, I discovered that I truly thrived most when teaching others, and this inspired me to go back to school during the pandemic in order to pursue my future path with new clarity. Thanks in no small part to the experience and support I’ve received from the museum over the years, I am now a licensed social studies teacher working with middle and high schoolers at an international school in Japan. Although I’ve drifted quite far away from Minnesota, the museum remains with me. Sometimes, when the timing is right, Dorothy herself finds a way to sneak back into my lessons…
The internship at the Dorothy Molter Museum provided me with a chance to reconnect with nature and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals in the wilderness. Dorothy was a remarkable and iconic woman who faced many challenges in her lifetime, yet was able to overcome them with the help of loved ones. Her story is so unique and special and I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of sharing her story during the summer.
The internship offered an exceptional opportunity to engage with guests daily and immerse oneself in the rich history of Dorothy, the Boundary Waters, and local heritage. I also enjoyed working in the archives and learning more about Dorothy and her life. I also gained a few friends through the internship as well and was able to share the amazing root beer with all my family and friends. they made sure they delivered the best to me. Highly recommended!
The internship offered an exceptional opportunity to engage with guests daily and immerse oneself in the rich history of Dorothy, the Boundary Waters, and local heritage. I also enjoyed working in the archives and learning more about Dorothy and her life. I also gained a few friends through the internship as well and was able to share the amazing root beer with all my family and friends. they made sure they delivered the best to me. Highly recommended!
I first came to the Dorothy Molter Museum as a fresh graduate from the U of M. When I came to do my first internship at the Dorothy Molter Museum in 2023, I was a history student at Saint Cloud State who thought he was headed to law school by that time next year. But speaking with Jess and the other interns, seeing how Dorothy’ story resonated with so many people had opened my eyes to careers/fields I had never considered before. After graduating and spending another year at the DMM, I resolved to get a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation, with the hope that one day, I could help other communities protect, celebrate, and make the best use of their own local heritage and history in the form of their old buildings.
My time at the Dorothy Molter Museum has had such an incredible impact on my life. I was able to meet, live, and work with amazing, like-minded, people, most of whom I’m still close with today. It also gave me a better understanding of effective public history, the work involved in small museum management, as well as a far greater appreciation for the importance in celebrating and protecting local history and heritage. Things I believe and hope many more summer interns can benefit from, as they think about starting their careers.
My time at the Dorothy Molter Museum has had such an incredible impact on my life. I was able to meet, live, and work with amazing, like-minded, people, most of whom I’m still close with today. It also gave me a better understanding of effective public history, the work involved in small museum management, as well as a far greater appreciation for the importance in celebrating and protecting local history and heritage. Things I believe and hope many more summer interns can benefit from, as they think about starting their careers.
I have been working with these guys since years now! With lots of hard work and timely communication they made sure I first learned about the Dorothy Molter Museum from two of my Southeast Missouri State classmates
who had interned the here the summer before. Based off of their positive experiences, I decided to
apply for a summer internship. My first summer was incredible. The area is beautiful and my classmates
returned for their second summer plus I made new friends! In addition to giving tours and manning the
gift shop, I revamped the children summer camp, Camp KWITCHURBELIAKIN, and focused on updating
the photo archives. I discovered I really enjoyed creating programing for children’s education and
working with kids. The summer experience was so positive that I stayed for an extra month.
When I came back the next summer, it was in a yearlong management internship with a new batch of
interns. In addition to continuing Camp KWIT, I started to teach the History You Can Taste classes that
we offer in collaboration with the Ely Folk School. I discovered that I also enjoyed creating programs for
teaching adults and giving tours. Now that we are in the off season, I’ve been able to learn more about
the behind the scenes work that it takes to keep a small museum running.
I’ve been incredibly lucky to start out my professional career at the DMM and my experience here has
only affirmed my decision to work the museum field. From a student/recent graduate perspective, what
helped make this experience possible financially was the fact this was a paid internship and that the
housing was provided. The DMM goes above and beyond for young professionals taking their first steps
into the field.
who had interned the here the summer before. Based off of their positive experiences, I decided to
apply for a summer internship. My first summer was incredible. The area is beautiful and my classmates
returned for their second summer plus I made new friends! In addition to giving tours and manning the
gift shop, I revamped the children summer camp, Camp KWITCHURBELIAKIN, and focused on updating
the photo archives. I discovered I really enjoyed creating programing for children’s education and
working with kids. The summer experience was so positive that I stayed for an extra month.
When I came back the next summer, it was in a yearlong management internship with a new batch of
interns. In addition to continuing Camp KWIT, I started to teach the History You Can Taste classes that
we offer in collaboration with the Ely Folk School. I discovered that I also enjoyed creating programs for
teaching adults and giving tours. Now that we are in the off season, I’ve been able to learn more about
the behind the scenes work that it takes to keep a small museum running.
I’ve been incredibly lucky to start out my professional career at the DMM and my experience here has
only affirmed my decision to work the museum field. From a student/recent graduate perspective, what
helped make this experience possible financially was the fact this was a paid internship and that the
housing was provided. The DMM goes above and beyond for young professionals taking their first steps
into the field.
My first summer with the Dorothy Molter Museum was after my junior year of college. I was studying history and knew I wanted to go into the museum field, but I had very little experience in it and didn’t know exactly what area captured my interest. Working at DMM taught me more than I could have ever imagined! I had the opportunity to try out so many different areas of museum work that you would only get at a place like DMM. Getting to share Dorothy’s story with others taught me to investigate why people wanted to engage with this history, and let me connect with the public on a whole new level. Dorothy’s incredible story and the opportunities DMM provided me during my two summers there sparked a passion in me for accessibility and sharing history that people can connect to and see themselves in. I still tell anyone who will listen about Dorothy Molter and the special place that Ely is!
I was able to join this internship for the summer of 2025, and it was an amazing experience! Getting to experience a new place as special as Ely, getting to meet and work with other interns, and learning Dorothy’s story has left such an impact. I was able to learn and use so many different skills at this internship that are very rare to find in other opportunities, especially in the museum and education world.
Coming from New Orleans, this opportunity introduced me to a whole new world that I most likely never would have sought out on my own. I hope this opportunity remains for future interns because it is an experience that you cannot get anywhere else.
Coming from New Orleans, this opportunity introduced me to a whole new world that I most likely never would have sought out on my own. I hope this opportunity remains for future interns because it is an experience that you cannot get anywhere else.
