C.J. Bellucci-DiLizia

Given its status as home to one of the world's oldest universities, it is no surprise that in the Middle Ages, Bologna, Italy was the fifth largest city in Europe. Subsequently, there is an abundance of historical art and artifacts held within the city’s three civic museums. During my internship with the museums, my main task was to connect the visitors to the museum by creating an environment that was more accessible to foreign tourists. Among various other projects, I corrected and translated description panels and gave guided tours to both Italian and English speaking visitors. 

Working between the three museums allowed me to work both independently on certain aspects, and also to collaborate with staff throughout the separate museums. Through these aspects of my internship I gained experience in working in environments that required both strong communication and organizational skills. It was precisely within these key elements of a smooth functioning workplace that my perception of the differences between the American and the Italian culture was further developed in regards to the workplace. Working within the city’s civic museums was a fantastic opportunity to not only gain an array of professional skills, but also to further expand my knowledge of Italian history through the lens of the country's rich selection of art and architecture.