Tomorrow, we party at the beach. It’s a great party, with lots of tasty food, beer, and wine. The music is fantastic, and the company even better. But why? Well…it’s sort of a long story. In 1903, the United States Life-Saving Service built this structure in largely unpopulated Virginia Beach. From 1903 - 1969, the [...]
On 26 September 1918, 111 Coast Guardsmen aboard the USCGC Tampa were killed when the ship was blown up by a torpedo off the coast of Europe. This represented the loss of approximately 2% of the Coast Guard’s men, the largest loss of life (by percentage) of a service in a single incident during World [...]
It’s hard to believe we’re already in November - meaning our fall interns will soon be wrapping up their time with us. They are wonderful additions to our team, and are all making valuable contributions to the museum. Hearing their opinions about their internships has invited me to reflect upon my own time as [...]
Our volunteers bring diverse talents to their contributions here. Kelly has a PhD in American History, and has chosen to share her knowledge as a Gallery Guide. Here's what she had to say about her time with us. "I moved to Virginia Beach two and a half years ago. At the time, [...]
When I first came aboard, Rick, one of our volunteer Tour Guides, walked me through the life-saving exhibit. He offered me a very technical look at the museum's life-saving and Coast Guard history. Since mechanics aren't my strong suit, or my particular interest, I found it hard to keep up. In many ways, I [...]
This summer, a group of Teen Volunteers joined our team. They helped at events, talked with visitors in the galleries, worked behind-the-scenes, and even ran the front desk. Noah is a soft-spoken young man who's friendly, interested in history, and always shows up on time, willing to help with the day's project. Here's what [...]
Tylar was the Video Marketing Intern for Summer 2018. Overall, she made 24 videos in support of our museum mission. Here's her reflection about her summer. Tylar has been an awesome part of our team this summer, and we're excited to see where her career takes her. Don't worry - [...]
Many of our dedicated volunteers are active duty military members. They take time out of their busy schedules to continue serving, as volunteers. Most were drawn by the name, by the mission, and by the stories of the men who served here, long before their time. Victor is one of those volunteers. Here's what [...]
We have many ghost stories from the building we work in, some of which I’ve even experienced myself. We spend a lot of time in this Life-Saving building, so much that I’ve begun to feel a connection to the men that used to work here. I’ve even grown to like the idea that I have [...]
Small museum exhibits are spaces focused on the everyday, lived experience. Spaces to connect, to reflect, to bring back memories, to tell stories. They’re spaces for people who don’t think they’re old enough or important enough to have their names on public walls. They’re spaces for memorials, tributes to those who died in the line [...]
Many of our volunteers come and go with the seasons. They're students, interns, or active duty military members, whose lives take them other places. Other volunteers, like Marty, remain with us year after year, working in our galleries to offer visitors a more interesting and informative experience than they could have alone. Here's what [...]
Internships can be a great tool to set yourself up for a successful career. They’re a wonderful opportunity to “test drive” a career, gain professional skills, and grow your network. Here are a few ways to use your time as an intern to your advantage - gleaned from my own numerous internships, as well as [...]