Special Collections and Archives is honored to introduce Niko Bare as the Elizabeth M. and P.T. Reilly intern for the summer of 2025. Niko will be working closely with SCA staff to develop a physical display and virtual exhibit showcasing images from the David Muench Photography records. Niko is a rising senior at Northern Arizona University (class of 2026), majoring in Studio Art with an emphasis on Painting while pursuing both a Museum Studies and an Art History minor.

Niko previously interned at NAU’s Beasley Gallery in the School of Art and Design, where he assisted with exhibit installation and curation. They have exhibited their own work at the Beasley Gallery as well as through the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany’s Art in Action program. He also volunteers at the Museum of Contemporary Art Flagstaff (MOCAF).

We caught up with Niko at the end of their first week in SCA to learn more about their background and what they hope to learn this summer.

Tell us where you’re from and why you chose NAU. 

I’m from the Chandler area, just south of Phoenix. I chose to come to NAU mostly for the trees and change in climate. It has been really wonderful to get to know a new place with so much history boiled in.  

What are you studying at NAU? 

I’m studying Studio Art, specifically painting, as well as Museum Studies. I find the balance between the practice of art and the history and presentation of it to work hand in hand.  

What are your plans after NAU? (If you’ve made any at this point!) 

I would love to go to graduate school for either museum studies or fine art. The end goal is working in some sort of museum/library/gallery adjacent area while being a professional artist on the side. Don’t ask me how I’ll have time for that. 

What interested you about the Reilly internship? 

The thing that drew me to this internship most was its subject matter of fine art and the opportunity to do a ton of research about it. I’m interested to see how different organizational systems work. Learning how to put together a digital exhibition is an exciting challenge as I’ve previously helped curate physical ones. The intersection between art and science is something I’ve been mulling over for a while, and I’m always trying to see how they interact. 

What are you hoping to learn from the experience? 

I’m hoping to gain experience in a more academic curatorial setting. I’m super interested in archival processing and handling as well as digitization and access to materials. While I think I’ll end up in a more curatorial or research setting, I have always been interested in the inner workings of libraries.  

Are you more of a cat person or a dog person… and why?

I would say I’m more of a dog person only because I’ve only ever lived with dogs. They’re always following you around and I love that you can tell when they have favorites in the household. My roommates have cats and I will say I do enjoy having mischievous creatures around.