Westmont Magazine A Youthful Love for History

Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Kapchinsky ’95, the founding director of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, is the youngest museum director in the nation. The history major developed an internship during his junior year as education coordinator at the original Karpeles Manuscript Museum in Santa Barbara. His hard work and keen interest impressed Santa Barbara real estate investor David Karpeles, who holds the largest private manuscript collection (over one million) in the world. When Joshua graduated, Karpeles asked him to direct the seventh and newest Karpeles museum, which features manuscripts by famous Southerners. All Karpeles’ museums exist to educate children.