I joined the staff of the Georgia Museum of Art in April 2016, shortly after graduating from the University of Georgia’s sculpture program, in December 2015. After a year on the floor as a gallery guide I transitioned to my current supervisory position, overseeing scheduling, training and records management for the security department. My primary role is to monitor the condition of the museum facilities and ensure that the visitor experience at the museum is as positive as possible.
My experience working with visitors and other museum staff gave me insight into the background work of museums that many rarely get to see. I wanted to get more involved with the museum and further my education in the field. Once UGA announced a new Museum Studies program in collaboration with the museum’s education department, I enthusiastically enrolled in the program.
I enjoyed it immensely. The courses explored not just how museum professionals worked, but also the history of museums themselves. Part of the program required an internship at a museum or similar institution. I was particularly excited about this aspect, as I had made many strong relationships with the other staff at the museum and looked forward to working with them in a different role.
When deciding what type of internship to pursue, I wanted to find someone who was passionate about their work. I wanted insight into many different areas of operation, so I sought out the museum’s deputy director, Annelies Mondi, for the variety of responsibilities of her position and her dedication to the museum. With my background in sculpture, I was interested in focusing on the museum’s Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden and knew that much of the programming around the garden was under Annelies’ purview. As a graduate of the UGA sculpture program, I had experience creating my own work but wanted to explore the process behind organizing exhibitions from a curatorial perspective.
I started my internship in May 2019 and completed it in May 2020. Serving in two roles at the museum simultaneously was incredibly rewarding, and I felt that there was often a synergy between them. I found the mix of tasks and responsibilities engaging. I spent a lot of time performing research, creating exhibition layouts and getting a general feel for how the museum’s shows are put together. Spending so much time in the galleries and reading labels as a guide gave me a better grasp of how objects would fit into the spaces and what kind of information would be effective for viewers. Likewise, being more involved in the exhibition process has improved my working relationships with other staff at the museum.
Over the course of the internship, I worked on several projects, notably the Rachel Whiteread exhibition, a walking tour of murals at UGA and the Louis Comfort Tiffany exhibition. I participated in research, layout design, label writing and press, budget and shipping logistics, as well as art handling and condition reporting. I completed the Museum Studies program in May 2020, adding the professional certificate to my existing degree.
I learned over the course of my internship that I can be successful in the museum field, and I feel more connected to the staff and community at the museum, as well as confident in my role within it. The work was sometimes more difficult than expected but was always fulfilling. I have gained a new appreciation for the importance of the museum among its contemporaries and the work of the people behind the scenes. The research and planning that goes into the exhibitions, the coordination to make them happen and the work that goes into maintaining the day-to-day operations is impressive, and I am glad to be a part of it.
I also want to thank Annelies for her mentorship and encouragement. She is incredibly hard working and deeply committed to the success of this institution and has been an exemplary model of the type of museum professional I want to be. I hope to continue to be available to assist her in any way that I can.
Authored by:
Ryan Woods
