Application opens: January 4
Deadline to apply: March 15 at 11:59PM (ET)
Award notification: April 15
Number of Weeks: 8
Tenure Dates: Exact tenure dates for this summer internship will be worked out with the mentor. The internship can start as early as June and needs to conclude by 8/25.
Stipend Amount: $3,200 ($400/week)

This internship honors Benjamin Lawless and his legacy as an internationally recognized exhibition planner, designer, Emmy winning filmmaker and writer. The Benjamin Lawless Internship is an opportunity for a rising senior high school student to learn about audience engagement, exhibition design, and research stories associated with objects of all kinds and the people who used and created them.

Application opens: January 4
Deadline to apply: March 15 at 11:59PM (ET)
Award notification: April 15
Number of Weeks: 10
Start Date: 5/26/24
End Date: 8/3/24
*This is a cohort internship so all interns should be able to start and end on these dates and be actively engaged in the internship at least 36 hours/week
Stipend Amount: $5400 ($540/week) + housing provided

Focused on individuals from communities currently underrepresented in the museum conservation field, the Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA) offers opportunities for current or recent undergraduates to learn about museum conservation.

The National Zoo offers a variety of internship opportunities from animal care, veterinary medicine, IT, communications, animal enrichment, animal behavior, conservation, GIS One Health, nutrition, genetics, and more.   We have opportunities at the Zoo in Washington, DC and our Conservation Biology Center in Front Royal, Virginia as well as Hawaii. 

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives welcomes current or recent undergraduate and graduate students who wish to gain experience in archives, museum libraries, or related fields. Internships are typically eight weeks in length, often hosted during the summer. Part-time options, practicums and for-credit internships may be available. Opportunities vary and are based on available programs and projects. 

As part of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative (AWHI), the Smithsonian will host a cohort of up to 15 Because of Her Story (BOHS) undergraduate or recently graduated interns June 12--August 4, 2023. Through a variety of experiential learning opportunities, including a hands-on internship at a designated Smithsonian unit, and a curriculum of structured cohort activities, BOHS interns will develop familiarity and experience with museums and research units and American women’s history.

Legal interns in the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) work closely with attorneys whose work covers such diverse topics as tax, employment discrimination, ethics, imports/exports, federal appropriations, intellectual property, and environmental law. Interns will gain exposure to the Office's diverse law practice through litigation and transactional work, client counseling, case law research, preparing legal memoranda, reviewing agreements, surveying state law, and researching legislative history.

Smithsonian American Art Museum has two internship programs: 1.) The Advanced Level Program:  a two-semester (fall/spring) museum operations program for graduate students, exceptional college seniors and individuals with a four-year college degree, with previous museum or art institution experience. All participants receive stipends.

The Robert Frederick Smith Internship Program seeks to reverse the trend of underrepresentation of African Americans and other minorities in museum professions through well-paid internships at NMAAHC as well as at select cultural institutions across the country. Now accepting applications for Summer 2024 opportunities.

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) offers internships during the Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer terms at the museum in Washington, D.C.; at the Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, MD; and at the museum (George Gustav Heye Center) in New York City. The NMAI internship program provides educational opportunities focusing on cultural transmission; professional development; meaningful departmental projects; and networking with museum professionals.

Are you interested in US history? Do you want to learn more about the inner workings of history museums--either as an introduction or a deeper dive into an aspect of the museum field? The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH) offers internships to folks who are excited to engage in professional learning experiences!