Summer Haven // by Victoria

As a passionate bibliophile, appreciator of fine art, and admirer of expansive gardens, working at the Huntington Library this summer has been like spending a summer at Disneyland. From the acres of sunny gardens to the cool halls filled with some of the rarest artwork and manuscripts, the Huntington has provided an invaluable and enjoyable summer experience. For the past five weeks, I have had the wonderful opportunity of working at one of the four leading independent research libraries in the United States, and one of the most prestigious museums in the world. Beginning as a summer home for Henry E. Huntington, (one of the great 19th c railroad tycoons, like Leland Stanford!), the Huntington grew as a house for their growing collection of French furniture, rare books, and English portraits, it only became open to the public in 1928.

 Since then, upon its acres have been developed the only authentic Chinese garden in California, right next door to a uniquely beautiful Japanese garden. Within the original Huntington house stands Thomas Gainsborough's world-famous "Blue Boy" painting, one of forty-eight Gutenberg Bibles, a Chaucer manuscript, and some of the first printed folios of Shakespeare's plays. Within the building where I am working, the Munger Research Center, there some 5.6 million rare books, and over a million manuscripts.

 No big deal.

I'm like a kid in a candy store. Just downstairs from where I am working, scholars pour over priceless pages for academic research. Some of the greatest names in contemporary medieval studies have offices just down the hall. On my first day, I was taken to lunch with the leading expert on Thomas Gainsborough (an 18th century British artist) and had coffee with PhD students and some of the leading academic scholars. As an intern, I have been able to get a behind-the-scenes look at the museum. This past week, along with the other five interns, I was able to sit down and have a conversation with the President of the Huntington himself, Steve Koblick. Also, an art curator took us on a private tour of the Huntington house and art gallery. The Director of the Library himself also took us into the conservation room where we saw how the curators prepared and repaired the precious artifacts.

 For the next several weeks I will finish my job to helping the Director of Research (also an expert in early modern rural British history), Steve Hindle, organize his massive amounts of journals and books. The job isn't glamorous, but the environment is world-class and definitely worth it.

If you're interested to learn more or want to come visit me in this paradise, click here and see below!

(In Steve Hindle's office surrounded by his piles of journals!)

(A view of the back patio of the original Huntington house -- just gorgeous!)

 (... And the view from the patio is even better. The gardens stretch for miles!)

(One of the most well-known spots is the Shakespeare Rose Garden, just right outside, one of my favorite places, the tea room!)

 (A view of the Japanese garden)

 (A view of the Chinese garden. For both the Chinese and Japanese gardens, the Huntington hired actual Chinese and Japanese architects and designers to recreate an authentic experience. The result is unparalleled!)