Gallery of the Louvre (1831-33) by Samuel B. Morse, Oil on canvas, 187.3 x 274.3 cm, Terra Foundation for American Art

I have been lucky enough to be a volunteer, unpaid intern, paid intern, and full-fledged hired employee in a lot of different museums–from the very small and specific, to the medium-sized, to the encyclopedic and kinda famous. As I’ve now completely transitioned into supervising interns myself rather than being one, I thought it was high time I write a post about how to go about getting an internship in a museum.

Just So You Know…
I want to note that this is based on my personal experience only–and is really just a collection of tips, tricks, and things to know that I’ve accumulated along the way. Take it all with a grain of salt, and make your own journey!

Also, I’m a hands-on learner and deeply believe that while theory is important, there is truly no substitute for being in a museum office setting. Even if you’re only making copies, you’re still learning a ton more than if you were only hearing about it from a professor. I feel very strongly about hands-on learning, but if you are a more theoretical kind of learner, some of my advice might not be for you.

The Best Piece of Advice I Can Give You
For me, one of the most important things to remember during the whole entire process is to keep in tune with your passion and sincerity.  If you love what you’re doing, and are sincere and kind to everyone you work with, in my experience, things tend to work out really well — before, during, and after your internship.

Now let’s dive in to the specifics!

Fair Warning: You Will (Almost Definitely) Not Be Paid
It’s a downright shame, but it is also a truth: finding a museum internship is extremely difficult. It is definitely not impossible, but it is hard. Finding a paid internship is even more difficult. And when you get a museum job, you will not be making a million dollars. Those are much bigger issues in our field than this blog post can address, but I also don’t want to sugarcoat the issue. That said, the bottom line, pay or not, is that you will learn a lot in your internship if you put in time, effort, and care.  And as a currently employed museum person, I can tell you that most museum people would probably LOVE to pay you, but their budgets won’t let them do so.

Because of this, I would highly recommend interning in a museum as early as you can. I started interning in high school when I still lived under my parents’ roof and continued to intern in college, both at school and when I was home during the summers. If you are able, take advantage of times when you hopefully have some support paying the bills.

I also want to say that without interns and volunteers, museums could not function. I know it is small comfort when you are trying to pay the rent, but this is also a truth. Your supervisor hires interns for a reason: our workloads are quite big, and you are extremely helpful in helping us accomplish things. We also love mentoring young museum-loving people, just so you know. We need you, we love you, and if your supervisor is anything like me, we’ll buy you a latte whenever we can as a small but heartfelt token of thanks.

Finding an Internship
Let me preface this section by saying something that should probably go without saying: Work in advance! Many larger museums have internship deadlines six or more months out from the start date; smaller museums, who may not post deadlines, will appreciate your organization. Time management skills are essential for full-time museum jobs and the sooner you make them a habit the better.

If you’re in high school, museums in your area might offer paid internship programs or other special opportunities for teens. Be sure to check out museum websites’ sections for teens to take advantage of those kinds of programs, which are usually amazing chances for teens to cut their teeth on the museum world, get behind the scenes, and often make art as well.

Otherwise, if you are out of high school, there are a number of different resources on the web for finding museum internships. Here are the most helpful general resources for museum internships that I’ve found:

• Museum Internships for Graduate Students (useful for any level of education, no worries)
• GlobalMuseum.org Internships/Fellowships Listings (they also have a great jobs website)
• American Association of Museums Job HQ (sometimes has internship listings, usually paid or for larger museums)
• Regional museum association websites (e.g., PA Federation of Museums, New England Museum Association, New York Foundation for the Arts) often post internship opportunities on their job pages

But hands-down, the best resources are likely the museum websites themselves. Internship opportunities are usually linked through their education department or sometimes the job opportunities page.  If you know what museum you want to work at (see below), then their website is the place to look.

If the museum doesn’t list internship opportunities on their website, that doesn’t mean they won’t take interns.  ”Cold apply” (see below) and impress them so much they make up an internship especially for you.

Choosing a Museum for Your Internship
You might thing it’s worth applying to every single museum internship you find a listing for. But more important is that you actually care about the museum you apply to. Museum people love their institutions. They will be impressed that you love the institution, too. And you will be happier giving your time to a place you actually like.

A good rule of thumb, especially if you’re starting out trying to get your first internship in a museum, is to answer this question: What was your favorite museum to visit as a child? Whatever your answer is, that’s where you should intern first. Now, ideally, that museum is in the city you currently live in. If it isn’t, think about a museum in the city you do live in that is most like your favorite childhood museum–and then apply there. When you have a personal connection to the collection or to their mission, or have actively experienced their programs, it’s a win-win: the museum can brag about its lasting influence on its community, and you will really want to do your best there.

Although you learn a lot from interning in a medium or massive institution, I would most highly recommend interning in a small museum, especially for your first internship. Some of my best internship experiences took place at small museums, and here’s why: you get to know most of the staff, even those beyond your department (read: you make professional connections with a lot of people, which will come in handy when you go job hunting later on); you see how many departments function and/or get an extremely thorough understanding of the one you’re in (because you’re probably the only intern there); and you have the opportunity to get your hands into lots of exciting projects.

Once you’ve cut your teeth on a small institution, I would then recommend looking at the huge places (happily, those are the ones that usually have paid programs) for your next internship. If you can, do so in New York or another large city, where there are lots of other museums around. Additionally, large institutions often have a single person dedicated to interns, so you get amazing training and have a point person to help you define your interests more deeply.

Using Connections
There is no getting around it: the museum world is a small one and thus a place where connections in the industry are extremely useful. If you know someone who you think would sincerely, truly like to see you succeed, and who has a connection to a museum, politely ask them if they could put you in touch with someone there. Follow up with a thank you note to your connector. (Always, always, always follow up with a thank you note!–see below.)

If you don’t have any connections, fear not. Cold call or begin with an informational interview (see below). And once you impress the staff with your professionalism, voila–you have a connection.

The Informational Interview
If you’re not quite ready for an interview, ask someone at the museum for an informational interview. See if you can take someone in the department you’re interested in to coffee in order to hear about their job and give you advice. People love to talk about themselves and their job, and it’s likely they would love to feel important enough to share their story and advice with you. You will learn a lot about the many paths people take to work in arts institutions, and you will almost definitely gain a connection. (And, although you should try to pay for the coffees, they will probably treat you, because they were once a broke college student too.)

One thing that is super important about the informational interview: DO NOT try to weasel a job out of it. Seriously. They know you’re looking to break into the museum world–everyone understands the underlying reason for informational interviews–you don’t need to put it out there. Be subtle by not mentioning it at all, graciously thank them for their time, and there’s a good chance they will say something along the lines of “feel free to contact me if you have any other questions, and I’d be happy to keep you in mind for any internships if they come to my attention.” If they don’t offer something like that, don’t bug them to do so–it puts them in an awkward position if they didn’t really connect with you.

Applying and Interviewing
College career offices can give you the basics on cover letters, resumes, and interviewing skills, which you should definitely explore and familiarize yourself with. All of those conventions apply for the museum world.  But since museums are not always a field that those offices are super well versed in, here are some specific tips.

The Application
Read it. Carefully. Then read it again. Then read it one more time with a fine tooth comb (I’m not sure if that metaphor works here, but you get what I’m saying). Make sure you include everything they ask for. Don’t have any typos. Don’t include anything extra unless they don’t ask for your resume–always include your resume, even if they don’t say they want it–or, maybe if it’s studio art related, your art portfolio if you have one. Otherwise: keep it simple, keep it passionate, and do it the way they want it done.

“Cold Applying”
If there are no posted internships at the museum you love with all your heart, then take a deep breath, prepare your most professional phone-calling demeanor, give the department you want to work in a cold call (don’t call the receptionist), and tell them you’d love to be an intern for them–very briefly say why you’re interested in that museum, and politely ask if you can send them your resume (definitely leave a voicemail if you don’t get a real person). You might think you can do this by email… BUT DON’T. There is a 99% chance your email will be lost in the abyss that is the generic museum email address, or if it’s lucky enough to make it to a person, they’re less likely to respond to email than they are to a phone call. I know cold calling is scary, but as long as you are sincere and not pesty (i.e.: I don’t recommend continuing to call them), I guarantee it will impress the person on the other end and will probably get you at the very least an informational interview.

The Interview
Study up on the museum and its programs and exhibitions. Make sure you have visited at least once (that goes without saying, right? Right). Dress as if you were calling upon your very traditional grandmother for teatime (whatever you do, do not wear jeans). Bring a few extra copies of your resume. Maybe bring your art portfolio, or other museum-related materials you’ve created at previous internships. Then take a deep breath, relax, and be yourself. Imagine that the person interviewing you is your favorite professor or advisor at college–someone you’re comfortable with and respect, but not too comfortable with that you start accidentally talking about what you did last Friday night.

And remember: you are interviewing them too. In addition to any questions you might have about the internship, you should absolutely ask them a few questions about their job, too–what’s a typical day like? What is their favorite and least favorite part of their position? And when you’re thinking about their answers, ask yourself: Can you see yourself giving your time to this museum? Do you respect the person who is interviewing you (i.e. your potential supervisor)? Are you interested in his/her job and learning more about it? Do you think you would get along well with him/her? The details of the internship don’t matter as much as the person you are talking to. If you do a good job at your internship with them, they will be your best resource: they will write you recommendations, help you make connections, support you and encourage you, and trust me, they will be so, so thrilled when you one day get your first museum job.

After the interview, write a thank you note (see below)!

The Handwritten Thank You
If there is only one thing you get out of this post, let it be this: ALWAYS WRITE THANK YOU NOTES. By which I mean, not type an email thanks-a-bunch, but handwrite your gratitude on good quality, professional-looking stationery. (I recommend splurging on this one, but if you’re on a budget, you can find nice ones at Target.) Whether it is thanking a connection for putting you in touch, or thanking someone for an interview, write… the… thank you. And do it the minute you get home from the interview before you even put your jeans back on and go right back out and pop it in the mail.

Here’s a good formula:

• Dear Mr./Ms. So-and-so (even if they told you to call them by their first name–use the honorific),
• Express gratitude for the interviewing opportunity (“Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me for the internship position in the education department today.”)
• Refer to a specific part of the interview that meant a lot to you (“I really appreciated talking about the details of how you personally give a tour; since my interest is in education, it is great to gather all the information I can about teaching styles.”)
• A tip: DON’T rewrite your resume and pop it in here–work your interests (not your experiences) subtly into the above reference to the interview
• Thank them again and sign off (“Again, thank you for the opportunity. It was a pleasure meeting you. Sincerely, Such-and-such”)

I know we are in the 21st century and all, but shooting off an email is not the same as putting the effort into a well-written and personalized note. Trust me. It will be impressive, and you will stick in their minds.

Dealing with Rejections
It happens. It sucks. Set the email or letter aside (don’t delete it or toss it right away). Have a cry, have some ice cream, take a run, do whatever you have to do to get the disappointment mostly out of your system. Then take care of the immediate housekeeping. If you got a snail-mailed rejection letter, don’t reply to it. If you got a rejection email from a generic or HR address, don’t reply to it. If you got a rejection email from the person who interviewed you and/or who would have been your supervisor, take a moment to really read it closely. It may be generic, but the person may also have included something more specific or a polite, subtle tip for you. Take it to heart: they probably meant very well. And then shoot them a very, very brief email back thanking them for their time and the opportunity. This is the professional thing to do.

Also, you should know this: Internships often demand very, very specific skills and experiences. Rather than having tried to fudge your interests or experiences, take comfort in the fact that you were completely yourself during your interview. Keep being that way, and I am sure that you WILL find an internship that needs you and only you–this one just wasn’t it. And that’s okay.

Also, I want to say, having had to send out rejections myself: trust me when I tell you that it sucks just as much for the person on the other end (unless you were a jerk to the interviewer or obviously didn’t care at all). It just sucks all around. But you will find the right spot one day–just keep at it and do the best you can to learn from the experience. (And definitely take advantage of the opportunity to drown your disappointment in ice cream.)

Good Luck!
So, future museum people: best of luck to you! If you have any questions that weren’t answered here, post ‘em in the comments and I’ll do my best to help you out. And stay tuned, because I’m working on a post about my tips and tricks for making the most of a museum internship once you get one!

Willem de Kooning | Woman I | 1950-52 | Oil on canvas | 6' 7 3/8 in. x 58 in. | The Museum of Modern Art, New York

In celebration of our return to regular posting after a year-or-so gap, I wanted to write about another “gap” in museums and the art world in general.

Let’s start with a visualization exercise. Think about this artwork by Willem de Kooning (left). What do you see? My guess is an abstracted woman, painted in quick gestures with vivid colors. Let’s try again. Now, think about Gustav Klimt (an example of his work is below). I’m guessing you see beautiful figures, arranged flatly and stylized in Klimt’s signature mosaic/symbolist fashion. So why do you see these specific images? Well, any Google Image search will tell you that basically everyone sees the same visions when they think of these two celebrated artists. But the question persists – why do fairly narrow stylistic conventions define these artists so overwhelmingly?

This past week, I had the pleasure of seeing the de Kooning retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. This massive exhibition is the first by a major museum to look at the full scope of the artist’s career. I had no strong feelings about de Kooning either way–I respect his importance in the development of Abstract Expressionism, but aesthetically his work is not my cup of tea–but I still wanted to see the landmark show. Covering all 93 years of the artist’s life, MoMA divided his career into nine sections. To my surprise, only about ten years contained artwork that I would describe as instantly recognizable “de Koonings.” Spread into three sections, this is where you could find the Women series and other hallmarks.

Willem de Kooning | Clam Digger | 1972 | Bronze | 59 1/2 x 29 5/8 x 23 3/4 in. | Private Collection

I was surprised on three levels. First, virtually all of the iconic work by de Kooning came from one decade. Second, this relatively short period in the artist’s long career took up one third of the gallery space. Finally, I was surprised at how different the preceding and following sections were. I would not have been able to identify over half of the exhibition as work by this Abstract Expressionist, and while it was an extremely disorienting experience, it was also a very informative one.

Did you know that de Kooning was also a sculptor? A printmaker? I didn’t, before seeing the show. Highlighted in a later section entitled “New Directions,” these alternative media demonstrated the artist’s prowess in three dimensions and non-unique work. I loved his ragged bronze figures, and, put within the context of the exhibition, they are clearly connected to his earlier Woman series.  However, if I saw one in a museum or sculpture garden I would never have been able to identify it as a de Kooning.

Willem de Kooning | Untitled XIX | 1983 | Oil on canvas | 6' 5 x 7' 4 in. | The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, San Francisco

The same holds true for his later paintings, which I thought were incredibly powerful, yet understated. They are described as “smooth” and “bright,” without the “heavy painterliness” for which de Kooning is best known. These unexpected revelations were my favorite part of the exhibition, and really made me appreciate his more “typical” work as a synthesis of his various styles in the course of a long career.

So, back to the gap. It is common museum practice (especially in universal survey museums, such as MoMA) to only put on view one or a few “representative” works of art by an artist. If given the choice, I am sure that any museum around the world would select a signature de Kooning Woman to display. Given the option to display more, they would most likely stay within the time period and choose other figurative works that compare and contrast to the famous depiction of a woman.

But what about the rest of the artist’s oeuvre? What about educating museum visitors on the scope of his career? Or is that what retrospectives are for – to show how the artist reached their pinnacle, and where they went after? So, given that, is it best to simply show visitors what they expect to see on a daily basis? Or shock them with unknown work by well-known figures? What has more educational merit?

Gustav Klimt | Idyll | 1884 | Oil on canvas | 19.5 x 29 in. | Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien, Vienna

Let’s return to Gustav Klimt. Klimt’s early work is a wonderful example of why I think it is important to examine the work of an artist as a whole. I will never forget the day in an art history class when a slide of Bougereau-esque fresco was projected onto the wall, and the professor told us that it was by Gustav Klimt (left). That moment of shock, of disbelief, has affected how I think about art, especially when I see a “masterpiece” that is a highlight of an artist’s career. It makes me really think about what came before and what came after, and how they are all connected.

Klimt, as you might have guessed by now, was classically trained and was in fact employed as an architectural artist before he became a founding member of the Vienna Secession and developed his symbolist style that garnered him international fame (although it was widely ridiculed at the time). There is a world of difference between his Academic commissions and glittering, mosaic-like paintings – but that gap is illuminated when you look at the transition from one style to the other.

Gustav Klimt | Adele Bloch-Bauer's Portrait | 1907 | Oil and golden and silver foil on canvas | 54.3 x 54.3 in. | Neue Galerie, New York

So what is the solution – how do we close the gap? Is it best to have curators and scholars make an informed selection when putting works on view in museums? That way, visitors will be able to see and experience works that are in the same vein as the masterpieces that made the artist famous, a convention which clearly has merit. On the other hand, is it more educational to show the visitor works that inform these masterpieces–works that demonstrate how the artist arrived at their signature style?

I definitely do not have the answers to these questions, but I would love to know what you all think. Is this gap an inevitable part of the museum experience, since it would be impossible to represent every artist’s full trajectory? In fact, is it a desirable disconnect, since perhaps you don’t want to see the works that have been forgotten by history? Or do you want more context and opportunities to see atypical work, even if it means taking the “masterpieces” off view?

I’m still working as a museum educator in Milwaukee, WI and my colleague is now a gallery director in New York City. We love this site and care deeply about it, but when you write about museums and art history all day long, it’s difficult to do so in your free time, too. That said, we’re thrilled that folks continue to come visit the site, and hope its archives continue to inspire, provoke, and further your thinking about art, art history, and museums.

For my day job, I frequently post about my profession and art history on our institution’s blog. Many of them are general enough to share with you here, so I hope you’ll check them out and find them useful.

On Tim Gunn and Gallery Teaching
A love letter to the profession of museum education and teaching art.

Hip-Hop in the Galleries, Inspired by Art
My fall teen program participants made hip-hop music in the middle of the art museum galleries, complete with bass and turntables. Don’t believe me? Watch the video.

Help Harmony Blossom: ArtXpress 2011
The Bus Unveiled: ArtXpress 2011
My summer teen program participants made a giant mural inspired by the art of the Qianlong emperor, complete with a social justice theme, that went on the side of a Milwaukee County Bus. The process, challenges, and successes here.

I’ve also written a number of explorations of works of art in our Collection that I call “slow art”–in which I sit with a piece for 45 minutes to an hour. (Credit for this powerful exercise go to the great Rika Burnham.) Afterwards, I wrote about my realizations, frustrations, and the joy of looking at art (cheesy, but true!) in reflection-style blog posts. Here’s a selection of my favorites:
Agnes Martin, Untitled #10
Howard Finster, The Youth of Abraham
William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Homer and his Guide
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street at Shoneberg City Park

If you’re interested, you can read all of my posts on the Milwaukee Art Museum blog here.

Also, conversation continues to happen here on the Art Histoy Blog surrounding this nearly two-year-old post about the effectiveness of museums, inspired by Steven Colbert! Check it out, and please contribute your voice in the comments there, if you feel so inclined.

We’re sending you our best wishes for a happy holiday season and a peaceful new year. Thanks for reading!

We’ll pop in every so often with a post and will hopefully one day be back to posting regularly, so keep us on your bookmarks. Till then, you can follow either of us at our respective museums on Twitter at MAM_Chelsea (me) or NBMAA (Alexander), and check out some of the other art history blogs that won awards for being a top art/art history blog this year, below. In addition, feel free to get in touch with us if you like. Thank you so much for your support of this blog!

POP! A New Musical @ Yale Repertory Theater

BY ALEXANDER J. NOELLE

I was thrilled when I saw a poster promoting a new musical based on the life and art of Andy Warhol.

The world premiere run of POP!, underway at Yale Repertory Theater in New Haven, CT, through December 19, has been very well received and was glowingly reviewed in both the Boston Globe and New York Times. It isn’t everyday that an art-themed musical emerges, so I was both excited and apprehensive about seeing it. Warhol is such an iconic figure in the history of art, and I was unsure that a musical could really capture this infamous and mysterious person.

And that is exactly what the musical sets out to do. Instead of focusing on his art, POP! hones in on Warhol’s relationships with key people in his life, like right-hand man Gerard Malanga or transsexual muse Candy Darling. The six figures that flow in and out of the scenes define Warhol more concretely than he ever did, illuminating not only the mind behind the art, but also the mysterious person that they, as well as the art world, were captivated with. They are more than happy to tell volumes about the difficult genius–but Andy speaks his lines in enigmatic tones and hides behind his sunglasses, offering only an empty paper bag to solve any and every problem. He plays the role of the voyeur, much as he did in life.

Darling emcees this over the top murder-mystery musical that takes place in Warhol’s famous Silver Factory in New York City. Set in June of 1968, the show revolves around the attempted murder of Andy Warhol, an event I hadn’t realized had been a part of his life. The Factory is rendered as an industrial yet artsy playground for the cast and serves as a wonderful backdrop to the colorful personalities that epitomize the ’60′s. While there is definitely an art-inspired component to the set (mostly in the form of a large projections and live camera feeds), the focus remains on the personal relationships in Warhol’s life.

My favorite scene took place at a New York City bar where Warhol trespasses on the turf of some famous abstract expressionists: Robert Motherwell, Franz Kline, and Jackson Pollock. The “cowboys” of the art world, Motherwell, Kline, and Pollock are seen here as if they come straight out of a western movie, only they use paintbrushes instead of revolvers. The ensuing duel involves splatter painting, expressions of emotion, and the production of an abstract expressionist work of art on the back wall of the theater. A scathing commentary on this pivotal art movement, it was also incredibly hilarious. Upon seeing the work, Warhol simply comments, “I’ve always liked your little splatter paints. They look like so much fun!”

POP! is an experience not to be missed by any art historian or theater lover. The cast is extremely talented, the story is both fascinating and informative, and this unique study of modern art makes art history not only jump off the page, but also dance, sing, and perform the scandalous but true story of one of the most influential artists of our time.

The audience is left with one burning question: Who is Andy Warhol?

POP! at Yale Reperatory Theater through December 19
Visit their website for more information

(Left to right) Warhol-inspired perfume; Delftware boot vase; Lady Gaga in Vogue, December ’09.

• For $220, you can smell like Andy Warhol’s Money series with Bond No. 9 New York — Andy Warhol perfume. Apparently, the prints smell spicy and citrusy. Who knew?
• Here’s a really unusual gift idea from ELLE’s December 2009 issue… Delftware-inspired Wellington rain boots — that aren’t rain boots at all, but in fact porcelain vases.
• Award for most simultaneously awesome and bizarre fashion/art crossover yet: Lady Gaga’s feature in Vogue’s December 2009 issue, where she poses as the witch in Grace Coddington’s interpretation of Hansel and Gretel.  In her feature, Lady Gaga describes her performance for the LA Museum of Contemporary Art gala, at which she played a piano made by Damien Hirst. Here’s hoping her next music video not only features the craziest of runway fashion, but some contemporary art too–might I suggest a dance segment alongside one of Jeff Koon’s metallic balloon dogs?

Have I missed any happenings between art & fashion? Let me know in the comments!

It might be satire, but Colbert asks the big questions that everyone should be asking of museums: What is the point of art?  Is art only good if an art critic says it’s good?  Can “good” art exist without an audience? Who decides how much art is worth? Who decides what goes in a museum?  Colbert even begins by saying: “I don’t like art…and that’s mainly because I don’t get art.” So I ask a further question: How can museums help visitors feel more comfortable around the art — how can we make them feel like they “get it”? (Further, how can we help them feel comfortable with the fact that it’s OK to not “get it” — after all, isn’t that why art is studied: because we never feel like we’ve completely plumbed the interpretations of a work of art?)

These are huge, massive questions. I don’t really think that museum staff have the answer to most of them, and that’s probably why we do what we do — because we want to begin to answer them. I do think they’re questions we should ask ourselves and our visitors, because they can help us learn more about our audience and about our collections and institutions.  So as a museum educator, I’m asking all of you, how would you answer the big questions put to Campbell last night? How can museums help you “get art”? Comment away!

(PS: A final thought… Colbert ends by asking about the art housed in the Met: “Do they [the public] vote? Do you let them vote?” He’s met with a chuckle, but what an interesting web 2.0/feedback venture that would be… to ask visitors as they exit: do you think we should keep this work on view in the Museum; why or why not? Would you want to do something like that in a Museum?)

Like many museums in Europe, most of Rome’s most famous museums don’t allow photography.  (Or, if they do, I’m sorry to say I was unable to take pictures because I was in class while visiting them!)  As a result, most of the images in this installment of Art in Real Life are of famous Italian places, rather than paintings–which, to be honest, I sometimes find more immediately exciting than canvases on a wall in a museum.  These structures are almost all still exactly where they were hundreds of years ago when they were first built, and their size and age is mesmerizing.  Rome is one of the best places in the world to be wonderfully overwhelmed by how old everything is, to wander and lose yourself on the same cobblestones Renaissance greats did. As always, nothing can top actually being there, but hopefully these tourist-y glimpses into Rome will help you feel more like you’re in the city than an art history class’ slides or PowerPoints do.

Click on any of the pictures below to open the gallery; click next (or type “n” on your keyboard) to view the next photo.

TAHB’s Art in Real Life series: Paris | Brussels | Rome

Georgia O’Keeffe premieres September 19 at 9pm EST | Website