As my internship enters the homestretch, I am moving to my second task for the year, mapping the roots of salsa music. The shift is bittersweet, as it means leaving my first project to live or die in someone else’s hands. The digital exhibit introducing the National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL) is packaged up and turned in, along with its supporting documentation. And that is where the real world enters the picture, as its fate rests with shifting timelines and priorities as to when it will be moved into being on the Google Arts and Culture site for NMAL. 

The value of internships is the transition from studying theory and ideas, in this case on digital humanities, to a real-life perspective on how the digital humanities work in practice. To assert complete knowledge of the happenings of NMAL, or all the decisions, or concerns, would be foolish, however in not only the projects, but the conversations with the digital initiatives teams has provided a better view of the museum as a whole. Over the past year, and prior to that in graduate work,  we have been introduced to ideas and theories, and people writing about practices and education and exhibit design. Assignments were developed, submitted and graded in the safe academic vacuum. 

The process of creating a virtual exhibit for the “real world” linked the theory and the practice, including building the background documentation. Usage and copyright was very real and word smithing  taught me a great deal about thinking through representing a large institution, as we worked through language and sought content and images that would best reflect the museum as it both grows and waits to learn its fate. The unexpected lesson of the internship is in how tenuous museum growth can be and a reminder of how resilient the people who are building them can be. Four years have passed since the House of Representatives passed legislation establishing NMAL. In that time, they have built a virtual museum, traveling exhibits and a gallery space at the National Museum of American History. Even as the legislation assigning a site to build on — and designating the site for the National Women’s Museum — did not make it to a vote in 2024, NMAL has acquired their first twenty-five artifacts for the permanent collection. Leveraging technology, iconic artifacts are being imaged in 3D, allowing on line visitors to explore objects in a detail.

Being a small part of a museum that is developing and expanding allowed a ground level view of how theory operates in the world and has added to the educational value. Isn’t it the unexpected learning that makes it all most fun?

The halfway point of the internship is the perfect time to reflect on the experience thus far and expectations, met, missed and to come. NMAL is one of the newest of the Smithsonian museums, waiting for Congressional approval of a site to build on. It works on a hybrid model, with the preponderance of its exhibits online and a gallery in the National Museum of American History.

Even peripherally, the experience of learning how an idea becomes a museum has been educational. From its roots in a report on Latinos and Latino history in the Smithsonian to reading the authorizing legislation, I am thinking about all the actions that have to occur creating a museum. The legislation in particular was interesting, as it permitted the establishment of the museum, its related boards and fundraising. Even as I watched the National Museum of African-American History and Culture physically being constructed, I had never really given much thought to how it all starts.

I wonder if I am meeting expectations, as I sometimes feel like I am chasing the assignments. I am making progress on my online exhibit, but feel it should be done already. I have spoken with my supervisor, who assured me we are on track, however I would like to be further along.

For this semester, my expectations are to complete the digital exhibit, although it is clear that it may not be published for some time. I am looking forward to the mapping project, which will involve learning about music and the locations that are important in song.

The experience overall has been great and I look forward to continuing to develop this semester.

Although my internship is remote, I was able to take advantage of being local to the Smithsonian last week. My internship supervisors met me at the National Museum of American History for a tour of the Molina Family Latino Gallery and the current exhibition, ¡Presente! I have been on museum tours with guides and docents, but walking through a gallery with the professionals who were part of the design was an extraordinary experience.

Discussing the choices in design – from the color palette, organization and even fixtures in the Learning Center to the addition of cane guides by QR codes that will describe the contents of the vitrine allowed me insights into both what the vision of NMAL is and where it its trying to go next. Most important, it greatly improved my understanding of NMAL and who the staff building it out are. Meeting the team in person, as well as some of the staff that work at the gallery gave me a sense of belonging that I sometimes feel is missed in remote work. I also appreciated the pride they took in the NMAL signage up in the gallery, staking it out as an exhibit and a museum in and of itself.

I am however enjoying the practical part of learning about how a mostly online museum represents itself and its work. My first tasks looked overly simple, but were really heavily tied into how museums introduce themselves and engage with their physical and virtual communities. Walking the exhibit, the building block nature of how to look at digital museums was much more clear.

Taking advantage of all the opportunities for networking, seminars and events targeted at interns may create the space to continue that type of learning. In the spring semester as we move toward the changing of the installation to a music and dance themed version (hence the mapping to be done later), I would like to pursue opportunities to occasionally be on site.

I have known for a while that I do better in a hybrid or in person work environment, as I enjoy some level of camaraderie and the learning that can come from conversations.