I'm a grad student finishing my master's in education and am looking to get into the museum education field. I've got several summers and semesters worth of museum experience already working for a local nature center, my college's planetarium, and a Life Sciences' museum. I'm currently debating between an applying for an internship with the American Youth Museums, applying to be a docent with the National Museum of American History (one of the Smithsonians) or doing volunteer work with one of the other Smithsonian museums. Which would be the best? The American Youth Museum association is a national organization which supports youth museums whereas the Smithsonian is local to DC but are nationally known. I want to do museum education as well as exhibit design. Are potential employers more impressed by the actual work done or the museum/organization volunteered at? What is a good way to get challenging volunteer? Any other advice on how to network and start in the museum education field would be appreciated as well. Thanks! Deb Fuller [log in to unmask]