In the summer of 2015 I had the privilege of completing an internship at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. I acquired the internship through helpful BYU professors and administrators who made important contacts and provided instrumental advice.
Upon arriving at the museum I was assigned to work in the museum’s Visitor Services department. Initially I was asked to become an expert on the museum’s policies regarding pricing, hours, and the museum’s approach to getting new visitors into the museum. Within two weeks I was an expert on the topic and familiar with all the statistics behind the museum’s policies. Working with the department head and other interns, I participated in brainstorming in how to maximize profits and attract new visitors. From there I also worked on the museum floor with visitors, working in small educational events and in Information services. During my time at the museum I also briefly worked with many of the other departments like Education, Editing, Restoration, Social Media, and Legal Services. All of my experiences in the museum helped me determine my own academic interests and educated me on work opportunities related to my field.
El Museo del Prado is in the heart of Madrid, the capital of Spain. This allowed me daily opportunities to become more familiar with Spanish culture and a summer full of afternoons spent exploring Madrid. Obviously it is also well connected to other Spanish cities and I was able to venture out on day or weekend trips to visit other sites like Toledo, Segovia, Valencia, Salamanca, and Bilbao.
Overall, the internship has proven to be one of the most important experiences I have had during my time at BYU. Spain itself was a wonderful place to learn and work and I will always be grateful for my summer at the Prado.
Travis Glock