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During Your Internship

General Smithsonian Information 

Hours and Closures

Smithsonian museums are usually open to the public 364 days a year (closed December 25th), though the hours and days vary.  

Smithsonian non-public offices are only open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Smithsonian offices are closed for all Federal Holidays. See the OPM website for a current list of all federal holidays. 

Check in with your Mentor regarding the hours you will be expected to maintain, whether onsite or virtually. Be sure to understand what factors (such as inclement weather) may lead to office closures and what expectations there are for telework in those instances. 


Map of Smithsonian Museums on and near the Mall

For a large, interactive and up-to-date map of the areas on and around the mall, click here. 

For more information on Smithsonian locations both in DC and elsewhere, including MD, VA and NYC, visit the Maps and Locations section of the Smithsonian Website. 


Discounts and Perks Onsite in the D.C. Area (Requires a SI ID Badge)

  • 20% discount at all Smithsonian Museum Stores and the National Gallery of Art Museum Stores  

  • Reduced rate at selected Smithsonian public food facilities and the National Gallery of Art public food facilities, as well as use of Smithsonian staff food facilities (food is already discounted) 

  • One free IMAX, Planetarium or Butterfly Pavilion ticket per week, subject to availability (does not include special feature-length commercial movies), and additional tickets at a reduced rate 

  • Scholarship applications to selected TSA courses, seminars, and lectures 

  • Free admission to other non-Smithsonian museums who have reciprocity with the Smithsonian 

  • Free membership in the Agricultural Federal Credit Union 


     

Resources During Your Internship

  • Your Mentor (listed on your official award letter)  

  • You Unit Intern Coordinator (listed on your official award letter) 

  • SI Website

  • Prism: The Smithsonian’s intranet Prism (You will be able to access this link once you have network access.) 

Health and Safety for Onsite Interns

Be sure to ask your Mentor for emergency evacuation and shelter-in-place instructions for your location.  

  • Smithsonian Alerts for Smithsonian operating status and disaster preparedness: 202-633-8100 

The Office of Protection Services (OPS) advises the following safety procedures while onsite: 

  • Know your nearest Smithsonian security office  

  • Report suspicious activity 

  • Wear your Smithsonian ID badge at all times when on Smithsonian property 

  • Check with security when you arrive early or leave late 

  • Use a property pass to remove belongings from the building 

  • Use the Smithsonian shuttle services and/or the buddy system whenever possible especially after dark


The Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

EAP offers counseling, support, and services/resources referrals, and wellness resources to the Smithsonian Community. EAP services are confidential and free of charge. Typical concerns that EAP can assist with include personal, emotional, family/marital, reasonable accommodations, workplace relationships, stress/change issues, and substance/alcohol abuse use problems. For more information, visit the Employee Assistance Program website on PRISM, which features many links and resources .

  • The EAP Main Line: (202) 633-1051
  • EAP offices are located in the Ripley Center, Quad Room, 3046A, Washington, DC 20560
  • Points of Contact:
    • Tim Holloman (HollomanT@si.edu);
    • Debbie Burney (BurneDe@si.edu);
    • Karen Howard (HowardKa@si.edu) 

The SI Civil Program

SI Civil is a resource that the Smithsonian employees and affiliated persons (including fellows) may use to report threats of violence, incidents of intimidations, or harassment and get information about appropriate next steps. The goal of SI Civil is to empower employees and affiliated persons to communicate workplace concerns and facilitate the resolutions of those concerns as quickly as possible. Anyone may contact SI Civil for more information or to report an incident of harassment or workplace-violence related behavior.


SI Disability Resource Group (ERG)

ERG was formed to "provide and encourage a safe environment for all members to discuss any issue relevant to people with disabilities. This is an environment where people can express feelings, speak freely, disagree or be disagreed with in a respectful manner, be open minded to opposing thoughts and ideas, and where opinions will be valued." All are welcome.

  • The co-leads for the Disability ERG are Beth Ziebarth (ziebarth@si.edu) and Vanessa Jones (JonesVE@si.edu).
  • The group currently operates as a sub-channel of the SI-DEAI Teams Channel

Absences and Leave

Interns are not employees of the SI, so they do not accumulate leave. Interns are expected to fulfill the hours agreed upon in the award letter. Requests for leave or time away can be requested and is granted at the discretion of the intern’s mentor and unit coordinator.   

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