Peyton Edelbrock

Majors: History; Anthropology

Museum Intern, Mel Maritime Museum 

1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

I knew about the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum by visiting it as a kid. I discovered this internship through the museum’s website. 

2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals?

My internship has truly allowed me to explore the different job opportunities that the museum field offers. I am currently planning on attending graduate school to work in either the museum or archival field, and my internship is allowing me to explore both job paths with its many available projects.

3.) How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship? 

Through the application of my Liberal Arts skills, I have accessed opportunities within my internship that many in my position would not have the opportunity to. One of my internship projects included redesigning an exhibition on the process of excavating shipwrecks. I was put on this project due to the many skills that I developed over the years of my degree, including my research and my writing skills.

4.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking for an internship?

My advice is don’t be afraid of small institutions! The museum I am working at is small. Because of how tight-knit it is, I am treated like an employee rather than an intern, and I get to work on projects that interns at much larger museum would not have the opportunity to do. Due to the museums size, it is very flexible with its interns so I am also able to work in a variety of different departments, like curation, artifact conservation, and archives.