I love being able to give back to the museum in a way, I had been going to the museum for years after school to hang out and see the special exhibits. I loved being able to get a behind the scenes view about how the museum functions. I loved working on the special programs, I got to participate in curating several events and in the Friday nights, I even got to MC. I also loved the internship trainings that we did every week.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more of an understanding of the overall program before I came in. The structure was largely determined by what the interns wanted to focus on so I would have created a more focused program. I loved being able to dabble in everything but if I knew I would be the main curator in what I was involved with, I would have created a more detailed and focused plan. Also, in the second week of the internship my manager was laid off, that was a little awkward to go through and I was a little guilty and confused. But the manager that took over was great, everyone I worked with was great and I'm so happy to be able to work with them.
Advice
Have an idea of the specific things you want to learn about within the museum, and within OMCA because they're a little different than a "traditional" museum. See what all your opportunities are and then narrow down from there what you want to do.
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History Curatorial Intern
June - August 2019 • Oakland, CA
What I liked
The best part of this internship was the autonomy I was offered. I felt like the projects I was doing mattered, and the work I did actually made its way into the galleries. The internship also came with plenty of perks, like a ticket to watch the Oakland A's baseball team, reciprocal admission at many other bay area cultural sites, and a discount in the food court and museum store.
What I wish was different
Although I had weekly check-ins with my supervisor, the sheer volume of projects to be completed was a little daunting. I probably could have benefited from more guidance, and admittedly I needed more time to complete projects than the 10 hours I was offered.
Advice
Be confident in your work, ideas, and self. This is not a "fly on the wall" experience, but rather you are treated as a member of the staff.
