The Dallas Museum of Art, based in Dallas, Texas, is among the ten largest art museums in the United States. The museum’s collection contains over 22,000 works of art from around the globe, and their art research library, the Mildred R. and Frederick M. Mayer Library, contains more than 100,000 titles available to staff, docents, and the public.
We got in touch with Jill Bernstein, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, to hear her thoughts on being one of our host organizations.
Q: What are some of your favorite things about hosting exchange visitors?
For over forty years, the McDermott Internship Program at the Dallas Museum of Art has laid the foundation for many burgeoning professionals to pursue careers in museums and the arts. We encourage each intern class to interact both professionally and socially, to provide a complete and well-rounded internship experience. With their diverse backgrounds and unique experiences, international interns bring a global perspective that the group would be lacking otherwise. We appreciate being able to expose intern classes as well as Museum staff to museum practices from around the world as shared through our international exchange visitors.
Q: What are some of the interesting work-related tasks that Dallas Museum of Art interns get to do?
Not only do McDermott Interns have direct interaction with their respective supervisors and departments, but they are also able meet and work with staff across all departments of the Museum and work on projects both big and small. Some tasks completed by interns this year include creating an interpretive brochure for the special exhibition Bouquets: French Still-Life Painting from Chardin to Matisse, translating condition reports for incoming works of art from German into English, and helping to lead various education programs for visitors ranging from babies to adults.
Q: What are some of the cultural activities that Dallas Museum of Art interns get to take part in?
The Museum arranges cultural opportunities for each McDermott Internship class including visits to area museums, attendance to performances at various Dallas Arts District performing art venues, and tours of local private art collections, among other activities. Interns are also able to apply for $500 toward qualified professional development, which many have used to present papers and attend conferences at cities throughout the United States.
Q: What is the value to the Dallas Museum of Art hosting international exchange visitors?
As mentioned above, it is a wonderful opportunity for interns as well as for the DMA staff who work with them to gain diverse global perspectives on museums and the art world.
Q: What should people do if there are interested in applying to the Dallas Museum of Art internship program?
The Dallas Museum of Art offers nine paid internship positions in the Education and Curatorial Divisions, open to individuals with undergraduate or graduate degrees who are interested in exploring museum careers. Applications are available online at DMA.org/Internships each January, with interviews happening throughout the spring, for the upcoming fall internship class.