Hermitage Staff Spotlight: Marsha Mullin

Every month, we introduce one of your amazing staff members and give more insight on what it’s like to work at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage! This month, we are spotlighting Marsha Mullin, our Vice President of Collections and Research/Chief Curator.

• What is your job title? Vice President of Collections and Research/Chief Curator
• How long have you worked at The Hermitage? 34 years
• Can you describe what you do in a few sentences?  I research and oversee the collections: objects, manuscript materials, photographs and books that the Andrew Jackson Foundation owns or has on loan.  Despite many of the things having been here a very long time, we still learn new things about them. Part of the care is keeping all of the information recorded and up to date. I handle research requests (both external and internal) and try to keep up with current scholarship on topics related to The Hermitage, its collections and all of the people who lived at The Hermitage. I have served as project manager for many large projects that span several departments: the Andrew Jackson: Born for a Storm exhibit; Jackson, our introductory film; the interpretive plan; the guidebook; and the mansion interior restoration project.
• How did you come to work at The Hermitage?  I answered an advertisement in a museum professional newsletter. I didn’t know that much about this time period, but I had worked in a new museum where I had to set up all of the collection management systems, and The Hermitage’s systems needed updating at that time. Interesting note: I also went to Jackson High School in Indiana.
• What is your favorite thing about working here?  The variety – every day is different!
• What is something that surprised you about working at The Hermitage? How much of the site is original – not just the collections but the land and buildings.