AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

from LA Culture Net

USC PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS INTERNSHIP - UNPAID
Housed within the Department of Public Engagement at USC Pacific Asia Museum, the Education and Public Programs interns report directly to the Head of Education and Public Programming. There are currently four specific projects available: Cultural Trunks, Travelers Backpacks, The Silk Road Gallery, and Gallery Bookmarks. Please go to our museum website to download an application: http://pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu/_about/studentinternships.aspx http://pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu/_about/studentinternships.aspx

All internships have a minimum requirement of 10 consecutive weeks, 16 hours per week. Unpaid internships are open to all undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled in a degree program, and to recent recipients of a relevant advanced degree. Preference will be given to students with funding from their school or another granting institution, and also for those that can demonstrate an ability to earn school credit. Students do not have to be enrolled during the summer, but must be enrolled for the following semester or have graduated within one year. Interns work in various museum departments, supervised directly by a museum staff member, and work on specific projects within that department. Interns are invited to participate in museum lectures, curatorial tours, special events and receptions, and all-staff meetings in order to better understand all aspects of the museum.

(1) Cultural Trunks. The museum has Cultural Trunks that are available for schools and community groups to borrow from the museum free of charge. These trunks include touchable art, toys, clothes, books and other items. Currently there are 3 trunks: China, Pakistan, and Japan. The Intern is responsible for updating these trunks with new items and adding new educational materials, such as a list of resources at local libraries, a video or DVD, images of works in the museum’s permanent collection, flashdrive with powerpoint images, and a description of the items and their cultural relevance. We also want to add more trunks, such as Korea and Vietnam. The intern needs to contact groups that have borrowed the trunks in the past and survey them about their experience with the trunks and any suggestions for improvements. Then the Intern will meet with the relevant museum Arts Councils to better understand those cultures and discuss the project with them for their input, as well as with the Docent Council. We will research and visit local museums that offer similar trunks and discuss with the museum educators. New items will be solicited or purchased. Educational materials will be created together with the Arts Councils, docents and staff, and translated into various languages. The Intern will work with communications staff to design marketing materials and signage.
(2) Travelers Backpacks. The museum created a prototype of a Travelers’ Pack long ago but has never developed this program. The Packs would be available for free for families that visit the museum, designed for children to take with them around the museum and the courtyard to enhance their visit. Items in the Packs would include a magnifying glass, pad of paper and pencils, information on certain works formulated for children, and other materials. The intern will need to research and visit local museums that offer similar family bags and discuss with the museum educators. Then the Intern will discuss the project with other museum constituents such as the Docent Council and curatorial staff. The items to be included will be identified, purchased or created. The Intern will determine a way to display and store the bags around the Front Desk area and will create appropriate signage.
(3) The Silk Road Gallery. The Silk Road Gallery is the museum’s only family interactive space, located on the first floor next to the exhibition galleries. It opened in 2008 but is currently going through renovation in order to update the materials and add a Reading Corner. The intern will be responsible for working on educational materials and signage for the walls, the boxes of clothing, and an iPad that will all enhance the visitor experience for families with small children as well as adults. The intern will also work closely with the museum docents and education staff to develop educational materials for teachers, and also talking points for docents and volunteers that interact with visitors inside the gallery.
(4) Gallery Bookmarks. This is a new museum project that will deepen knowledge of the arts of Asia and the Pacific, and enhance the visitor experience. In partnership with the Pasadena Public Library, the museum will offer Bookmarks in its galleries (both permanent and temporary for major exhibitions) that provide resources for all ages and levels such as books, films, music, videos, podcasts, blogs, and websites. The intern will conduct research on the subject matter of the galleries, and work closely with education staff and librarians to identify and select the resources. The intern will also work with a graphic designer to design the bookmarks, with communications staff to create signage, and with the museum preparator to create racks in the galleries.