Sturbridge M.A. – Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) has announced a new Director of Collections and Research, Derek Heidemann to oversee their Collections and Research Division. Old Sturbridge Village has over 40,000 pieces in their collection and a large research library on site.
Derek Heidemann first started at Old Sturbridge Village as a volunteer in the junior intern program in the year 2000. Heidemann went on to join the Village’s interpretation part time team working in the Blacksmith Shop and other trade shops. After receiving a Bachelors of Arts degree in History in 2009 and Masters of Arts in History with a focus in Public History in 2010 from Clark University, Heidemann joined the Village’s fulltime interpretation team. In 2014 he was made the Coordinator of Historic Trades and then Interim Assistant Director of Interpretation in 2020. In 2017 Heidemann curated a new firearms exhibit which is now known as the Armed and Equipped: Firearms and the Militia in New England 1790-1840.
“Derek Heidemann is the perfect choice to lead the Collections and Research division as we head into our 75th year.” said Jim Donahue, President and CEO. ‘His commitment to research and development, love of the Village’s collection and experience in interpretation positions him well to expand the use of the collection to engage and educate the public.”
While a lot of organizations have been forced to downsize over the past year, Old Sturbridge Village has continued to grow and expand on their programs and educational resources. This has given the Village the opportunity to bring in new talent and promote already existing talent within the organization. The divisions of program and interpretation, museum education, collections and research have all added staff to support the mission of the Village. With the growth of those divisions, the Village is implementing new strategies for promoting their wide variety of offerings, both in-person and online. As a result, additional talent has also been brought in to support the marketing division and will continue to be transformed over the next year as the Village revolutionizes their digital content. As Old Sturbridge Village begins its 75th anniversary year, they have much to look forward to and share with their visitors and neighboring communities.
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