Photo Credit: Carlie Febo
The next discussion in this interview series takes us into one of the most sought after roles in museums—the internship! Aspiring museum professionals are always on the hunt for new opportunities to learn, network, and find relevant job experience. Our guest today will shed insight on her museum path while providing wisdom on that coveted intern role through her tenure at one of Boston’s most beloved museums.
Rachel DeLuca (she/her) is the Academic Programs Manager at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Nick Nemeth (NN): Thank you so much for joining me today, Rachel. To begin, could you provide a brief introduction to your role at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum?
Rachel DeLuca (RD): Of course! I am the Academic Programs Manager, and I’ll have been in my current role for two years as of this December. There are two major parts to my role. One is managing our paid internship program, which we call Gardner Ambassadors, and the other is co-managing our University Memberships. For the internship program, I work closely with two schools: Bunker Hill Community College and UMass Boston. For my work with University Memberships, I manage all of our relationships with local Boston schools which includes getting students into the museum through free admission, providing tours, and other responsibilities.
NN: With that introduction, I’d like to know a little bit more about your history. Beginning with your undergraduate endeavors and experiences there, to any further education and other roles. Essentially, how did you end up in your current museum position?
RD: I’ll start off by saying that I completely stumbled into the museum world. I’ve always loved museums, but I didn’t really grow up around any major museums. I only really started to go to them in college. I earned my undergraduate degree at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island studying studio art, focusing on painting. I also dabbled in art history, and I could see that there was some interest brewing there, although my main focus remained in studio art and painting. After I earned my degree, I immediately started graduate school at Boston University to obtain my MFA in painting. While I was there I needed another position to make ends meet, and I was trying to find something better connected to what I enjoy. I happened to be at the Gardner Museum, and I thought, “Oh, this seems like a great place to work.” However, I didn’t apply right away. One thing I think students do is talk themselves out of potential opportunities. I would have had the qualifications at that time for the first position I applied for here. As an aside to the people reading this, whatever it is, just go for it and apply!
But anyways, I eventually applied to work in visitor services, and I did that for a while before moving onto other departments. In total, I’ve been at the Gardner for a little over seven years, but I had no idea when I first applied for that visitor services role that it would lead me more into the museum world. I still do create my own art, but at the time, I was hoping to teach undergrads in a university setting. I did do some teaching back then as well, and that led me into museum education, and I loved that. It was the best of both worlds.
NN: Considering the graduate student who is similarly exploring museum careers, could you speak to some of the positives and negatives in your position? In your current role, what are some of the things you love about what you get to do, and some things that applicants might not be as aware of, but should know, before they jump into it? Perhaps not downsides, but surprises.
RD: Before I was in this role, I had also worked in the tours division of the education department so I had built a foundation interacting with college students and university faculty. I’m very thankful for those experiences. Through them, I learned how to pitch a tour and understand the business side of the museum. Without those experiences, I would not have the skills for my current role where I need to budget for my program, where I need to advertise and promote the museum.
My favorite part of my work is the mentorship aspects of it. I love working closely with college students whether they’re in the internship program or just coming to the museum for an informational interview. It’s inspiring to see students gain confidence with their first museum roles, whether it’s straight out of school, or people switching professions. I also never expected to be involved across so many collaborative efforts within the museum. Part of that is working in a smaller institution. I absolutely love it, but I did not anticipate that I would be working so closely with museum development, finance, and operations.
NN: That’s an important perspective I’d like to highlight here as well, all the work you do with interns. Landing that entry-level position, that first internship or first step in the museum door, can be difficult and daunting. To those applying for museum internships, what would you recommend they look for? What should they focus on as they search?
RD: That’s a great question as it really is quite competitive. With our programs, we specifically take applicants from only two schools to bring some equity into the Museum field, prioritizing underrepresented communities. One added benefit is that students who are applying don’t need to compete with the entire student body of Boston. That’s not to say they aren’t competitive—they are—but I want to stress that that feeling of competition can scare people away from applying in the first place. Perseverance often pays off, and it only takes one acceptance to get your foot in the door.
Also, do your research on the institutions you’re applying towards to ensure they’re environments that align with your goals. If it’s possible, look at program alumni who’ve come out of those internships and see what they’re doing next to ensure their trajectories match your interests. I’ll also mention, if you’re willing to live elsewhere or travel, have some flexibility in your life, that offers a lot of options for internships or fellowships. There are so many out there that take some digging to find! Thankfully, most museums are also moving towards a paid internship model, or at the very least offering school credit.
I want to finally add that spending time to investigate these museums is fundamentally important. Learn what museums are looking for in their candidates and see if there is anything you can add to your own education before applying–making yourself into an asset. It’s a somewhat paradoxical line of thought, because the internships at the Gardner are designed to be entry level so we’re not expecting students to come in with a wealth of career experiences. Yet, tailoring a transferable skillset to reflect the work you want to do in the future may help you stand out among applicants.
NN: Thank you, Rachel. For many museum related programs, such as mine at Tufts University, an internship or practicum is a requirement to complete the degree. Finding that experience can be a stressful ordeal, and I think your input will shed some light on that process. Related to that, but beyond the internship, for graduate students trying to get a more permanent role in museums, what advice would you give during their search?
RD: Complementing what I mentioned previously, active research on the institutions you’re interested in is fundamental. This isn’t just online, but if possible, go to their events and public programs, see their exhibitions, and try to understand the mission of the museum. Get involved as much as possible. While many institutions are moving away from unpaid models, volunteering can be a way to get a foot in the door. Working in a frontline role like visitor services is also an excellent way to get experience. It’s exactly how I started! When you eventually happen upon something that really interests you, you’ll have that visitor-centered perspective in mind, and in your toolbox. Genuinely, my work in visitor services informs how I approach my job today, and I would recommend anyone who works in museums to spend time on the frontline, so to speak.
NN: To backtrack for a moment, as I think this would be useful for any graduate student readers curious about museum paths. You had mentioned your entry at the Gardner in visitor services, but what brought you to your current role?
RD: It was actually quite the winding path. I started in visitor services at the Gardner during my second year of graduate school. Through my work there I met a wonderful community of artists. Many people working in museums often have something else going on—teaching or producing art, for example. I ended up enjoying the work while finding that this was an opportunity to learn something different. I worked in our box office, answered inquiries sent to the museum, and connected visitors to our archives. Opportunities would present themselves, and I would agree to help in any way I could. The most unique of those roles being a temporary collection cleaning position in Conservation. These projects were informal steps up that often came about when I advocated for what I was interested in.
Then while I was still in visitor services I was offered the role of tour coordinator at the museum. At first, this wasn’t quite what I was interested in, but after considering the position I decided to take a leap–part of that was that this position would bring me into the education department. After two years, another opportunity opened up that would combine my interest in teaching, with my administrative and management experience. I was promoted to where I am today. Having filled a few roles now, both public-facing and behind the scenes, that knowledge helps as I onboard and teach new interns about working in museums.
NN: That’s a vital lesson, I think, that our museum paths can be circuitous and anything but straight-forward, but perseverance, a willingness to try something new, and some unexpected opportunity, can pay off. Thank you again for your time, Rachel. To conclude our conversation, can you share some museum wisdom with our student audience from your seven years in the industry? The floor is yours!
RD: Rounding back to our first topic, don’t talk yourself out of applying to jobs that you think you’re not cut out for. There is never going to be a single, perfect candidate that fulfills every quality an employer is looking for. Just go for it! The worst someone can say is “no,” and you’ll only be out a little time. Flexibility is also key. You may not get that dream job right away, but persistence often pays off. I’ve had to give myself a few pep talks over the years—one foot was in the door and the other was inching forward. Sometimes it’s all about timing, whether through your perseverance or the timely opening of a position to apply for.
Perhaps most importantly, be gentle with yourself and try not to take rejection personally. As a final aside, I had an artist friend who kept a spreadsheet of all the jobs she applied to, and she kept track of all her rejections. Once she reached a certain number, she would treat herself and tie the labor of application into a form of accomplishment. I try to emulate that, and approach life with a similar mindset. The rejections I faced when I started in museums ultimately led me down the path I’m on now–one that I absolutely adore and wouldn’t trade for any other!
If you’ve not yet visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, this winter season is an excellent time to catch their current slate of exhibitions and programs, including Manet: A Model Family and the Gardner Façade: Mickalene Thomas’s Sandra, She’s a Beauty.
