What a great situation to be in!  Good luck on your decision!

As someone in Ohio (with a friend or two in LA) I'd venture a guess that
your salary in LA, while higher on paper, would not support the same
lifestyle that a lower salary in Ohio will.  I recommend checking the
International Salary Calculator (or other web source) to compare the two for
a realistic idea of the cost of living.

I'd also have to ask if the Ohio position is permanant, or temporary?  With
the internship, you will have a finite time table, and with job searches in
are field the way they are today, I'd recommend beginning your search for a
new position about the same time you start your internship.  I'd ask myself
"am I really going to be able to focus on this if I'm worried about what I'm
going to do after the internship is over?".

The Ohio job may not be what you want to do forever, but if it is permanant,
perhaps it will give you the opportunity to network and breath a bit easier
until you are ready to move on at your own pace.  Ohio is a very active
state for museums, and our associations are wonderful and friendly.

I'd also say as someone who hires staff, that I'd place a bit more weight on
a candidate that had a permanant position for a year or two than someone
with an 8 month internship (all other points of consideration being equal).
This is simply due to the fact that the longer you work in the field, the
more you understand about the functions and operations of museums in general
(especially in departments other than your own).

Just my opinion...
Good luck!

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