If you feel you are being taken advantage of in an internship, you are in
the wrong museum.  Granted, many institutions use interns and volunteers to
do the grunt work no one else wants to do, but an equal number if not more
offer rich, rewarding, interesting and USEFUL museum experience.  As an
intern, I was treated like a paid staff member, and I treat my volunteers
and interns like paid staff members.  There are good internship experiences
out there, so don't get discouraged by the bad ones.  Exercise your right
not to put up with such situations, and find something better.  Try
approaching institutions that are nearby that aren't necessarily
advertising positions.  You never know when they need help, and many places
are not in the position to hire, so they think the work will never get
done.

Alex Avdichuk





I feel like some people are missing the point. We understand the museum
field is tough.  We understand there is not enough work.  We understand we
must work many hours...  BUT, this does not mean we should be gladly taken
advantage of.
Elizabeth
O