To cap off her Master of Art Curating degree, Kiyara Grenfell undertook a four-week internship at the Lofotr Viking Museum, located in Northern Norway’s Lofoten Islands, to gain industry insights and develop new practical skills. The living history museum transports visitors 1,000 years back in time to experience the Viking Age. Working behind the scenes allowed her to see firsthand how the museum’s team brings an immersive experience to life.
Internships in the Art Curating postgraduate program serve as formative work-integrated learning experiences, designed to accelerate the career development of students. The program’s academic and professional staff networks link students in Art Curating and Museum and Heritage Studies to an array of museums, galleries, archives, libraries, and related organisations worldwide.
When the international opportunity first emerged, Kiyara hesitated as the museum was on a remote Arctic island, requiring five flights from Sydney. On top of unpredictable weather and infrequent public transport, she also required an extended period of leave. Despite these challenges, Kiyara headed halfway across the globe, realising that she would learn a great deal during her internship.
Transferable knowledge and skills
With an educational and professional background in fine arts, she was unsure of how she could contribute to her host organisation. However, Elisabeth, the museum's curator and her mentor, made a conscious effort to leverage Kiyara's strengths. This empowered Kiyara to put knowledge from her degree into practice. In addition, her experience as a gallery programs officer translated well to a museum context.
Kiyara’s Australian background turned into a genuine asset as her first project involved reviewing the museum experience from the perspective of an international visitor, one of Lofotr’s key audiences.
… this internship was undoubtedly an experience of a lifetime, made possible by the support of my wonderful supervisors and the established relationship between the University and the Lofotr Viking Museum.
Kiyara Grenfell, Master of Art Curating student
Immersed in Norway's heritage and geography
Inside the museum's exhibition space, Kiyara explored a collection of Viking artefacts and learned about the site’s discovery, which occurred by chance when a neighbouring archaeology enthusiast noticed darker earth being ploughed by a farmer.
The institution's living history element captivated Kiyara the most. In the reconstructed longhouse, she swung replica swords while dressed in colourful Viking clothing. Kiyara wandered the grounds, framed by snow-dusted mountains and autumn-hued trees, while observing grazing boars, sturdy horses, rams and sheep. She explored the boathouse and its longboats, imagining their journeys across the surrounding lake.
On the job, Kiyara also identified areas of improvement. This included updating signage for clarity, and developing programs to engage visitors in new ways. With the curator, Kiyara installed a special exhibition celebrating the museum’s 30th anniversary.
Passionate guides, dressed in Viking attire, brought the past vividly to life. Kiyara met with a seasonal woodcarver who spent hours in the Viking longhouse, hand-carving reconstructed artefacts. She also observed performers who made offerings to the gods as music from their instruments and voices filled the hall during a Viking feast.
"The magic of the living history museum experience truly lies in the years of effort from its staff," Kiyara noted.
Understanding the role of replicas in museums
The internship reshaped Kiyara‘s understanding of reconstructed objects. Given her background in fine arts, Kiyara had previously placed little value on replicas, often viewing them as secondary to original works. However, Lofotr’s living history model entirely transformed this view as reconstructed objects were a key element of the museum experience.
The museum made Vikings feel more immediate and real than in a traditional exhibition as visitors were literally placed in the shoes of people from the past and moved through a recreation of a moment in time.
The passion of the team, drawn from across the world to this remote location in the Arctic Circle, made the museum experience unforgettable.
Kiyara Grenfell, Master of Art Curating student
The geographic beauty of the Lofoten Islands exceeded Kiyara’s expectations. Her highlights included nighttime walks through the museum grounds beneath the shimmering northern lights, sailing through waterfall-filled fjords, and waking up to falling snow.
"It also made me realise just how far the GLAM sector can take us… this internship was undoubtedly an experience of a lifetime, made possible by the support of my wonderful supervisors and the established relationship between the University and the Lofotr Viking Museum," Kiyara reflected.
Her stint in Norway helped Kiyara recognise the value of her skills in museum and gallery contexts beyond Australia, and encouraged her to consider opportunities internationally. Following her graduation, Kiyara accepted a position as an art curator in a gallery in New Zealand earlier this year.
We thank Kiyara Grenfell for supplying us with the materials to prepare this news article. Banner image: Viking longhouse at night under the northern lights.
Photo credits: Kiyara Grenfell.