Chances are that where you live has some sort of historical society. It’s an organization that is devoted to preserving and researching the local history. They almost certainly have some sort of an archive, and they may have a museum. There are all kinds of historical societies out there, but I was still surprised that The Capitol building has its own historical society called… wait for it… the United States Capitol Historical Society. The non-profit organization is quite obviously based in Washington, DC, and it was founded in 1962 and “chartered by Congress to educate the public on the history and heritage of the U.S. Capitol building, its institutions and the people who have served therein.” The organization is not publicly funded, so they get their money from “individual and corporate memberships, gifts, grants and the sale of educational items such as the book, We, the People: The Story of the U.S. Capitol, calendars, tourist memorabilia, videos and books of general interest and academic research.”

It’s History

While I usually recommend that you read up on organizations that you want to work for, I think it’s more important that you educate yourself on the history of The Capitol before you dig into the details of the United States Capitol Historical Society. As you do that, you’ll start to see the kind of work that the USCHS does. Unfortunately, their website is a little outdated looking, but it’s still loaded with fascinating information. If you’d love to dive in deep to the history of the United States Capitol, then take a look at the United States Capitol Historical Society’s jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Development Coordinatory, and it’s a perfect job for a new or recent grad. If you’d prefer to stick to the history stuff and avoid the fundraising stuff, then take a look at the United States Capitol Historical Society’s Internships and Fellowships page.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• USCHS.org
• Jobs at the United States Capitol Historical Society (Idealist)
• About the United States Capitol Historical Society
• Staff at the United States Capitol Historical Society
• United States Capitol Historical Society News

Have you ever visited The Capitol?

We've identified United States Capitol Historical Society as having career opportunities in the following categories:

• all employers
• development
• education
• historic preservation
• history
• non-profit
• research
• Washington DC

---

Jobs Near You

---