This has been a really interesting thread, especially since I'm
starting grad school in museum studies at Cooperstown this
fall.  I've learned a lot, and I have a few ideas to share,
also!  First, don't be afraid to cold call.  Just open the
phone book and start dialing museums.  Ask them a million
questions about their internships, thank them politely for
their time, hang up and go on to the next number.  I think too
many of us (students) take what we are given without question.
Who knows, maybe one museum has an
internship that's three times better than the museum next door
- you'll never know if you don't ask.  I think whoever said to
ask the museum to help you find money was right on.  Museums
that can give an intern as little as $500 can really help.
        Second, don't be afraid to branch out!  Right now, I
work at the Library of Virginia, which is the state library and
archives.  It's not a museum, yet I'm helping coordinate a huge
upcoming exhibit.  I firmly believe this job helped me get into
Cooperstown, even though it wasn't a "museum" per se.  When I
was in college, I worked at a small art gallery for free, and
that helped, too.  Galleries, zoos, libraries, archives,
historical societies, etc. are good places to get experience,
and sometimes they have the money that museums don't.
        Finally, I think all of us have a responsibility to
each other to continue supporting interns specifically, and the
arts in this country as a whole.  If people pay $300 for
Superbowl tickets, that proves the money is out there.  Now
what we really need to do as a profession is concentrate on
getting it out of people's pockets, and into our museums.