Behind the Scenes 2! Introducing MOTAL's Intern Caitlin Spencer

My name is Caitlin Spencer and I am a Masters student at Claremont Graduate University in the Cultural Studies program with a focus on Museum and Media Studies. 
 
My favorite childhood memories are school field trips to museums, I have always been fascinated by objects that tell the stories of our past and present. As I grew older, I found that connecting and understanding people and history has been my interest. Later, I went on to get my Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and found myself captivated by how many people have come and gone before us today. Through museums, we can retell stories from the past and present that affect our everyday lives and that's why I love museums! I became set on becoming a museum curator to tell the narratives that often get lost in history and left untold.
 
In my 3rd year of undergraduate school I volunteered and assisted the collections manager at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA). There I got to understand how museums work, researching and updating objects to the museum's database and watching new exhibits get installed. I loved working at AMOCA so I knew I had to come back. Just last summer I had the honor of participating in the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program as the Curatorial/Interpretation Intern at the AMOCA. There I assisted in the planning, installation, and de-installation of exhibitions along with researching and writing interpretive labels. During my time as the Getty Intern I completed a solo project curating the exhibition entitled Chinese Bird Banquet, an exhibition on Ancient Chinese bird feeders. The whole experience was exciting, from then on I was set on becoming a museum curator to tell the narratives that often get lost in history and are left untold.
 
Stories are powerful, one visit to a museum can change a person's life. Having the chance to help create an experience that will educate, inspire and connect people is what drew me to become an intern at the MOTAL.


Caitlin Spencer


Caitlin Recommends:
There are many activities and things we can explore from our home, sometimes it just takes a bit of creativity.

• Visit the Google Arts and Culture website . Here you can explore artworks and museums from all around the world from your computer or phone for free!
• Visit the MOTAL website: MOTAL to learn more about education and the stories from the past that affect us all today.
• Visit the Luci Creative website to learn how to become a curator of your own exhibit at home using everyday household items!