Internship FAQ

How can I prepare for the International Internship Program at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection?

During your internship, you will have a fundamental role supporting the educational programs of the museum. You will deliver short talks on the life of Peggy Guggenheim, on specific works in the permanent collection and on the temporary exhibitions, and you may also have the opportunity to give tours.

We strongly recommend you spend some time preparing for the internship by doing some reading or research on the collection and the art movements represented, especially if you are not already familiar with them. You will receive a resource package the month before your arrival, and there are many useful resources available on the website that we encourage you to explore: explore

Before your arrival, you will also need to complete a mandatory online Security and Safety Training, for which you will receive a link and individual login credentials.

How should I prepare my seminar?

Seminars should be near completion upon your arrival in Venice. It will be presented to your internship cohort towards the end of your last month, so you will have time to make edits and fine-tune details. You will also have full access to the museum library for further research. As the program can be demanding, we strongly recommend against leaving the preparation of seminars to the last minute.

The seminar does not have to focus on artists or works of art in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and can address any aspect of art, art theory, art criticism, museology, curatorial studies, or specific exhibitions. Ongoing creative projects or theses are welcome. It should last approximately 20 minutes.

You can be creative with the delivery of your seminar; it does not have to be a traditional paper or PowerPoint presentation. Topics and presentations that foster discussion are encouraged.

What should I wear to the museum?

There is no uniform, but the museum operates a semi-casual dress code. We suggest you dress comfortably but remember that you are representing the museum and should therefore be dressed appropriately. Please bring at least one formal outfit for exhibition openings or special institutional events.

Note that comfortable and practical shoes are essential for working in the museum, as well as for navigating the city of Venice!

Will I have access to a computer?

Laptops are available to use in the student room. WiFi is available throughout the museum.

Will I receive any assistance in looking for accommodation?

The month before you arrive, you will receive a list of potential rooms and apartments with the landlords’ contact information to help with your search for accommodation in Venice. You will also be put in touch with other participants arriving in the same month, should you want to look together.

Due to the constant rotation of interns and short-term agreements, it is not possible to share this list sooner. The museum undertakes house inspections of the rooms on the housing list, and these options are regularly rented by students at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Once you receive the list, you will be able to request images of the apartments and contact the landlords directly. All agreements are made directly between you and the landlord. We will also provide suggestions for hotels and hostels.

How much does rent cost?

Rent prices vary depending on the size, type, and features of the rooms and the apartments (e.g. single or double room, private apartment, studio, etc.) but prices range from €400 to €1000 per month per person. The average cost for a single room is €600. This may or may not include bills. Be sure to clarify this with the landlord beforehand.

Do I need to pay a deposit?

Some lodgings require a deposit that is returned at the end of the rental period. In such cases, the deposit is usually the equivalent of one month’s rent, but this may vary. Be sure to clarify this with the landlord beforehand.

What are the apartments like?

Accommodation throughout the city of Venice varies considerably.

Those on the housing list are inspected by the museum, and they range from single rooms to apartments, to individual studios, and differ in terms of furnishings. Apartments may be shared with other participants of the program or with local residents (e.g., students, young professionals, landlords).

Bed linen and towels are usually provided, and most places are equipped with a washing machine and WiFi.

All agreements are made directly between the individual and the landlord. You should clarify all queries and doubts regarding individual apartments with the landlord beforehand.

Can I look for accommodation not on the housing list?

You can also choose to look independently for accommodation. In this case, we urge you to exercise caution and be mindful of rental scams before transferring any money.

When will I receive the contribution towards living expenses?

International candidates will receive the contribution towards expenses on the first day of each month in the form of a cheque for €1000 (should this fall on a weekend, you will receive this the following Monday).

Cheques can be cashed at the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, close to Piazza San Marco. There is no need to open an Italian bank account: all you need is your passport or legal ID.

Where should I have my mail sent?

Personal mail from family and friends can be sent to the museum to the following address:

Your Name
c/o Internship Program
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Palazzo Vernier dei Leoni
Dorsoduro 701
30123 Venezia
Italy

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection does not subsidize postage expenses. Please do not have large packages sent to the museum; should this be necessary please let the Intern Coordinators know in advance.

How do I get to Venice from the airport?

1 - By bus to Piazzale Roma, Venice:

ACTV public bus number 5. Approx. 25 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at the bus stop, some tobacco shops, or from the ticket machines.
ATVO shuttle bus. Approx. 20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased online or from the designated ATVO ticket machine at the airport.

Once you arrive to Piazzale Roma, you might be in walking distance of your destination. Alternatively, you can take a vaporetto (public boat) to the closest stop. Tickets can be purchased at the ACTV ticket booth at Piazzale Roma or from the ticket machines. It is also possible to buy a ticket once you are on board. This has an extra cost and you must notify the staff straightaway.
www.aeroporto.net/aeroporto-venezia/collegamenti-aeroporto-venezia/

2 - By ALILAGUNA shuttle boat to Venice. Please note that the ALILAGUNA stop is not at the terminal exit. There are various lines depending on your destination, and different prices. Please consult the website in advance: www.alilaguna.it/linee/mappa

Venice is a pedestrian city often described as a labyrinth of narrow paths, bridges, and canals. It can, at first, be a tricky city to navigate, so we recommend that you travel with backpacks and/or wheeled suitcases and have exact directions to follow.

About Venice

Venice is a unique and fascinating city. If you have not visited before, it is worth doing some research on its history and culture. If you have any specific questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with the Intern Coordinators.

The following websites may be of interest:

venicewiki.org/wiki/Venezia
venicehotel.com
bestveniceguides.it/blog/
venicebackstage.org/it/
timeout.com/venice
lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/venice/
invenicetoday.com
veniceworld.com

About the museum

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one the most important museums of European and North American art of the twentieth century in Italy. It comprises masterpieces of Cubism by artists including Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, Futurism by Giacomo Balla and Gino Severini, European abstraction by Vasily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, and Piet Mondrian, Surrealism by Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, Leonor Fini, René Magritte, and Yves Tanguy, American Abstract Expressionism by Grace Hartigan, Robert Motherwell, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko. Likewise, it presents works by some of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century, such as Constantin Brancusi, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Germaine Richier. The museum also shows the Hannelore B. and Rudolph B. Schulhof Collection, a bequest to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York, comprised of works of postwar European and North American art by Alberto Burri, Jean Dubuffet, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, Frank Stella, Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol, among others. The Nasher Sculpture Garden and the Schulhof Sculpture Garden include works by artists such as Eduardo Chillida, Barbara Hepworth, and Jenny Holzer.

The museum was created by the American collector and patron of the arts Peggy Guggenheim (New York, 1898–Venice, 1979). In 1949 in Venice, following the closing of her New York museum/gallery, Art of This Century—where she exhibited her collection and gave shows to young American artists, including women artists—Guggenheim purchased Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, where she lived for thirty years until her death. During her lifetime, Guggenheim donated her collection and her home to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, which has been managing the museum since 1980