Great museum and gallery positions are notoriously difficult to land. The competition is intense, and it can be hard to distinguish yourself amongst a pool of qualified candidates. One of the best ways to ensure you stick out to future employers is with an international museums and galleries internship.
Why’s that? Because the world of art and history is extremely diverse—every single country and region in the world is contributing to and building museums and galleries all the time! Often, the best exhibits feature people with very different backgrounds working together or promoting from around the world. Leveraging a museums and galleries internship abroad will show employers you have experience working in a diverse environment outside of the U.S. An AIFS Abroad internship will help you broaden your global perspective and discover various career paths in museums and galleries—including curator, tour guide, collections manager, and conservator—setting you up for professional success. At AIFS Abroad, we offer incredible internships in cities around the globe, so here’s our list of the top five destinations for museums and galleries internships.
Want to lay the groundwork for a successful career in the field? Explore AIFS Abroad’s top 5 global cities for museums and galleries internships!
1. London
London is world-famous for its art and history collections. Its museums and galleries are known as some of the finest and most extensive on the planet, but did you know this metropolitan city also has plenty of small and lesser-known museums and galleries that are perfect for interns? No matter what your interest is—natural history, cinema, sewing, women’s history, British history, textiles, architecture, street art, modern art—London has a museum or gallery with your name on it. Here, you can explore your passion and add an impressive internship to your resume. Plus, you’ll learn the ins-and-outs of the field by working closely with industry experts.
London has so much to experience besides its amazing galleries and museums. On sunny days you can hang out in beautiful Hyde Park. On rainy days you can make your way to the National Art Library and sit down to read for pleasure or browse their magnificent collection of literature about fine and decorative arts. During your time abroad in London, you’re also welcome to leave the city to explore the rest of England or any other nearby country that’s piqued your interest—remember, the rest of Europe is just beyond the English Channel!
2. Florence
Florence is undeniably one of the most significant art and history capitals in the western world. It’s known as the birthplace of the Renaissance, one of the most impactful artistic movements to ever occur. You can see art in every inch of this city, especially the historic UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are overflowing with cultural and historic relics of the past. Wherever you end up in Florence, you’re sure to have an extremely rewarding experience that will catapult your career toward success. Work closely with colleagues managing smaller museums and galleries that feature long-standing and newly procured collections. You can experience everything that happens in the front and back of exhibitions—what goes into planning, how pieces are acquired or sold, and how organizations market themselves. Also, in your free time, you can explore all the other world-renowned museums and galleries Florence is known for.
When you’re not finding inspiration among the countless artworks and artifacts, you can discover the colorful and evolving Florentine culture. There’s delicious Tuscan food to snack on and friendly natives to converse with. Religious celebrations and other cultural events like Carnival to take part in. Also, Florence is near the center of Italy, making it a great place to call home base while you explore the rest of the country during your time off.
3. Dublin
As the capital of Ireland, Dublin hosts galleries and museums that showcase the vast and complex heritage of the Irish. It’s also a metropolitan city that’s home to people from all around the world and the art and culture they bring. Dublin is saturated with museums and galleries of all kinds—from Irish culture and history to science, photography, music, modern art, and more—all easily accessible from the city’s center. Dublin’s focus on preserving Irish history and promoting contemporary art allows interns to gain hands-on experience in curation, conservation, and cultural programming. In addition, the city’s lively arts festivals and strong community ties make it an excellent place for networking and professional growth for museum and gallery professionals.
During your days off, you’ll have plenty of time to explore both the famous and lesser-known galleries and museums of Dublin. You can make lifelong friends, taste the unique local cuisine, listen to exciting live music, and immerse yourself in every facet of Irish culture. You can set out past Dublin’s borders to discover the Irish countryside and visit other cultural and historic relics that are scattered throughout this incredible country—castles, medieval towns, and, of course, more museums and galleries. Soak up authentic Irish culture in an international setting with a museums and galleries internship in Dublin!
4. New York City
New York City is an excellent choice if you want to advance your museums and galleries career without leaving the United States. New York City is a global capital for art and history, and some of the most famous institutions call this city home. In addition to industry behemoths like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA, this city is filled with so many amazing smaller museums and galleries. Take the small neighborhood of Chelsea on Manhattan’s west side—this thriving art district alone is home to hundreds of art galleries! With an internship in New York City, you can build a robust professional network in a place that’s world famous for art and curation, all while you immerse yourself in your own distinct professional interests—whether it’s fine art, contemporary art, high-end art, sculpture, activist art, or American history.
If you choose New York City for an internship program destination, you can spend so much time browsing galleries and museums all over this immense city. However, you shouldn’t forget about all of New York’s other offerings! Remember, there are hundreds of neighborhoods in the city, so there are endless things to explore. You can visit Chinatown to find the best lo mein. Go to Greenwich village or up to Harlem to catch some groovy jazz tunes. Or head to Central Park for a leisurely stroll after a jam-packed day as an intern. With a museums and galleries internship in New York City, the opportunities for professional and personal growth are practically endless!
5. Rome
A “best international cities for museums and galleries” listicle wouldn’t be complete without Rome on the list. Rome is renowned for its expansive, world-altering history, and its divine art scene, both historic and contemporary. A museums and galleries internship in Rome offers rare experiences you simply can’t get in other cities. You can learn how cultural organizations, galleries, and museums operate in a city that is overflowing with these institutions and has been a global art center for thousands of years. You’ll discover how these organizations are staying modern and continue to attract new visitors while remaining true to their heritage. Gain practical industry experience by learning to run marketing campaigns and curate exhibitions from your colleagues. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even learn about some local curating techniques that have been going on since ancient times!
Look beyond Rome’s advantages for your museums and galleries career and you’ll find numerous opportunities for personal growth and cultural immersion. For example, Rome is a global food capital, with a vast array of delectable cuisine—carbonara, cacio e pepe, pizza al taglio, and so much more—that you won’t want to miss out on. You can also venture outside of Rome to explore the rest of Lazio, as well as other iconic Italian cities like Milan, Florence, and Palermo; or hop over to neighboring countries like Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, and France. You really can’t go wrong with a museums and galleries internship in Rome!
Looking to advance your career with an international museums and galleries internship? Connect with new cultures and develop your career simultaneously with AIFS Abroad!
A museums and galleries internship is an incredible way to gain hands-on experience while immersing yourself in diverse cultures across the globe. AIFS Abroad provides unparalleled opportunities for aspiring museum and gallery professionals in some of the world’s most exciting cities. With inclusions such as housing, insurance, career readiness programming, excursions and activities, on-site staff, and emergency support, you’ll have a stress-free global education and professional development experience. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the competitive world of museums and galleries with an internship abroad!
