Growing up in Fort Worth, I had the opportunity to attend art museums starting at a young age. My father would regularly take me to the Kimbell, Amon Carter, and (my favorite) the Modern when I spent time with him on the weekends. This early exposure to the art world impacted me deeply as I endeavored to create my own art. My grandfather was an artist in his spare time and helped convince my family to support my passion as I got older.

During the covid-19 pandemic, I decided to return to college at the age of 27. I received my Associates of Art in visual art from Tarrant County College over the summer and immediately transferred back to the University of North Texas in the fall to finish my bachelor’s degree. Upon learning that I only had two semesters left to finish my degree, I decided to pursue college full-time. Browsing through college internships, I discovered the Old Jail Art Center’s museum studies internship program and applied right away.

I was worried about the length of the commute to Albany, the museum is more than two hours away from my home. My fears were assuaged on the first day of my internship as soon as I arrived and was given a tour of the museum. I was deeply impressed by the scale and scope of the museum’s collections.

Through the Ed & Interp Department, I researched and wrote artist and collection spotlights for social media posts. I also was able to research, write, and film two virtual tours of current exhibition works. Furthermore, I did remote work during the week which took the form of developing themed music playlists inspired by curated, themed albums of the museum collection.

In the Archival Department, I was tasked with creating an exhibit case on an aspect of Shackelford County history. I performed independent research and eventually chose my topic on the 1978 flood in Albany. I collected pictures, newspaper clippings, and other artifacts for my exhibit. I organized materials in the display case and wrote labels for my chosen materials. At the end of the project, I filmed a tiny tour of my exhibit for the OJAC’s Facebook.

The highlight of the museum studies internship was my time in the collections department. I was blown away when I was shown the art vault on my first day. I had the unique opportunity to work hands-on with photography collections by Ned Bosnick and Dick Lane. I collected measurements and descriptive data of more than 90 photographs and digitized all of the information for the museum's database as well as for their public, online collection.

I also performed a visitor services internship that  ran concurrently with my museum studies internship. In this position, I attended the museum's front desk on Saturdays, answered phone calls, and assisted patrons. I opened and closed the building and monitored patrons in the museum using the museum's security cameras. Being able to personally connect with museum patrons and docents gave me a well-rounded understanding of the art museum and the people who are involved with it.

The 10 weeks I have spent at the Old Jail Art Center have flown by. I can not overemphasize the kindness and professionalism that the staff has shown me during my time here. I have fallen in love with the museum and the town of Albany, which are rich with local history and culture. This has been a life changing experience that I will hold dear to my heart throughout my educational and professional endeavors. Thank you, OJAC!


Jeana Henry

Fall Museum Studies Intern