The purpose of a Virtual Space for Dialogue is for students to learn curation skills through real-life experience. The program allows them to engage intellectually and academically with the process of developing and sharing knowledge through objects.

The Virtual Space for Dialogue program began in 2016–2017 as a way to expand on the Hood Museum of Art’s success with A Space for Dialogue. Hood interns develop an online exhibition focused on works from the museum’s collection. They then collaborate with DALI Lab to develop a website that showcases their work. Students choose objects, research topics, write text, and design their site. As they would for a physical installation, they make choices and address limitations ranging from what colors and fonts to align with their topics and works of art to which works to juxtapose with one another. After their websites are launched, students present their work publically.