I know this road.  I travelled it and believe it or not, your hard work will
pay off.

While in undergrad I was able to take advantage of two semesters of
work/study in one of the university museums.  I worked as a curatorial
assistant.  Good experience.  One of those semesters I was also able to do an
independant study in museums at a historic house (also a university
property).  I researched period floor coverings and the household
inventories, and then produced a room sized rag rug carpet, appropriate to
the time and station of the family whose lives were interpreted there.

Grad school in another university provided another university museum in which
to volunteer many hours as well as develop another independant study.
Another local history museum offered an internship that I turned into three
semesters of intern/independant study.  Fortunately that museum ended up
hiring me -- only half time for the first six months as a trial for a newly
created position.  Then full time, still at an embarrassing salary.
Subsequent years brought modest increases that I subsidized with grant-funded
independant projects.

Bottom line is, you really need to invest in your own interests and future
career in museums.  It is hard to add the additional time to volunteer while
in school.  I know, and I was single parent with two kids who also needed my
time with homework, in scouts, and such.  I knew what I wanted, though, and
the sacrifice has all been worth it.

I have been in the position of using interns and volunteers now for years.  I
give time to students who want to learn.  It takes a lot of my time, but I
have watched as a number of my students have gone on to successful careers in
museum work.  And there have been times that the payback to my institution
has been great in terms of work accomplished.  None of the internships I have
been able to offer pays any stipend.  But I have always promised good
experience.  At least the internships should give you course credit.

Volunteer.  Write articles about your research and get them published in the
local newspaper, museum newsletter, state or regional museum association
newsletter, or wherever you can get a foot hold.  Build your resume.  Make
yourself known.  Meet people.  Ask for favors after you have earned them.  Go
to state, regional, and national meetings of museums, state and local
history, arts councils, and so on.  Jobs will not drop at your feet.  But
also remember that internships and volunteering COUNT as experience.

Good luck!!

Sharon Duane Koomler
Curator of Collections
Hancock Shaker Village
Pittsfield, MA  01202

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