Recent Tufts graduate Kylie shared the following about being a Public Programs Intern with the MIT Museum …
What did you do as an intern at this organization?
I was responsible for running daily educational workshops on the museum floor and in the Idea Hub (the hands-on engineering lab). Workshops included topics ranging from Rube Goldberg machines to 3D printing and design. In addition, I gave tours of the museum’s galleries and was also responsible for developing a genetics workshop for museum visitors and organizing the museum’s first-ever science trivia night.
How did you find this internship?
I knew I wanted to work in a museum for the summer, so I searched the website of every museum in Boston that I could think of! Luckily, I found this internship on the MIT Museum’s website.
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
I loved engaging with the visitors during workshops. It was a very special experience to see the eyes of a visitor light up when you talked to them about cool and interesting topics in science.
What did you find challenging?
The most challenging part of the internship was time management. It was great that we were kept busy, but sometimes it was difficult to balance the development of an independent project, planning an evening event, and running the educational workshops.
What advice would you offer to someone who wants to make the most of an internship like yours?
Do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. The museum expects you to be comfortable engaging with visitors from early on in the internship. The best way to learn is to just do it! There is no room to be timid. If this internship is something you are interested in, apply early! This internship was by far the first of the ones I applied to, and they make their decision quickly! They like to fill their internship positions by the end of April at the latest.
About the Organization
The mission of the MIT Museum is to engage the wider community with MIT’s science, technology and other areas of scholarship in ways that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. The MIT Museum fulfills this mission by collecting and preserving artifacts that are significant in the life of MIT; creating exhibits and programs that are firmly rooted in MIT’s areas of endeavor; and engaging MIT faculty, staff and students with the wider community.
