Learn about the newest members of the Girl Museum team:
I grew up in Glasgow, Scotland and earned my bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Strathclyde. In 2016, I was given the amazing opportunity to study at Central Michigan University for a Masters degree in History, whilst working as a history graduate teaching assistant. After graduation, I relocated to Detroit with my husband, who I met at CMU and began working at the Detroit Historical Museum as a Visitor Services Advisor.
I absolutely love to travel! Hence, taking the leap to move to the US alone. Travelling is definitely my passion and if I’ve learned one thing since moving here, it’s that people need to travel more and more importantly, to get rid of the notion that girls can’t, or shouldn’t travel alone! Since coming here, I’ve visited eleven U.S. states with an aim is to see as much of America as possible, before moving back to Scotland in 2019.
My dream job would be working as an archivist with historical collections. I think a significant part of this job should be to engage more with the public about local history and to encourage historical or genealogy research. For example, while volunteering at the Augusta Museum of History, I discovered that a Scottish regiment known as Fraser’s Highlanders, fought in Savannah and Augusta during the Revolutionary War — how cool!
My favourite museum has to be the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland where like most of Glasgow museums, admission is absolutely FREE! The museum opened in 1901 and currently holds over 8,000 objects, ranging from natural history, paintings from a variety of artistic movements and a fantastic collection of armour. I love it because even if you aren’t interested in history, the museum itself is stunning and provides amazing architecture and an overall welcoming and relaxing space.
I think the biggest issue facing girls I know is accepting it’s okay not to have a life plan! It’s something I’ve struggled with myself and with feeling the pressure to have a career as soon as graduation is over, if not before. Life isn’t about ticking boxes, you don’t need to get a degree, get a job, get married and have kids and certainly not in that order. It’s okay not to know where you want your life to go. Take time to travel and get life experience, figure out where you want to live and work or what you want to see. If someone told me three years ago I would be living in Detroit, or Georgia, where I’m temporarily located, I would’ve laughed, but here I am. Don’t plan your life, don’t settle for anything or anyone and travel more!
-Rebecca Norman
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.