I agree that it is hard getting a museum job in Europe. It was something I wanted to do very much a few years ago and I knew it would be impossible to ask museums directly if they have an opening or not, along with trying to get a work permit, going through red tapes, etc. I was very fortunate that I did have an opportunity to do work (really, volunteer work with a stipend) in a Norwegian museum in a very unusual way. 

I had applied to be an exchangee through ICYE (International Christian Youth Exchange but now is called Int. Cultural Youth Exchange in some countries).  The organization tends to place people in volunteer work in social work-related positions, daycares, Christian organizations, on farms that need help, etc. - the goal of the program is to have exchangees learn the Norwegian culture and its people & live with a Norwegian family.  I put much effort into researching on museums in Norway. I picked the five top ones I would like to work in and explained that I would still learn much about the cultural aspects of Norway through working in a museum, and at the same time help prepare me for a career in the museum field. They ended up placing me at Maihaugen Museum in Lillehammer which was my first choice. I admit it was an unusual way to get work experience overseas, but it worked out well and the museum didn't have to worry about getting a work permit for me since ICYE took care of that for all of its exchangees. 

While there, I applied to get into the museum studies program at Leicester University, England, and got accepted, but ended up going to Cooperstown Graduate Program in NY (a great program, by the way) due to high costs of living/tuitions in England. Had very little savings by the time I came back from Norway after the extensive traveling in Europe. 

My point is if you really want to do something, you can set your mind to it, keep trying and be VERY creative in getting someone's attention. But I also will say that it is very difficult to get work experience in Europe unless you attend one of the museum studies programs there or go through established channels where they've handled visa/work permits for foreign people such as the Guggenheim internship program in Italy, temporary exchange programs between two museums or museum-related organizations.

Kristin (Schumacher) Johnson
Project Development and Accessibility Specialist
Derse Museum Group
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: Call 1-800-947-6644 & give operator
my TTY phone # 414-257-2695 (deaf)
Fax: 414-453-5363

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