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Summer Internships at the National Air and Space Museum

National Air and Space Museum

The National Air and Space Museum’s structured summer internship program provides firsthand experience working in a museum.  This program offers a one-of-a-kind introduction to museum work or a rich opportunity to expand on previous experience.  Lasting from early-June through early-August, our 10-week summer program provides unique professional development opportunities and enrichment activities. We offer internships in a wide array of disciplines.

Latino Museum Studies Program Undergraduate Internship

National Museum of the American Latino

The Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) Undergraduate Internship is a museum career pathway program designed to increase hands-on training opportunities for Latina, Latino, and Latinx-identifying undergraduate students interested in art museum careers. The program focuses in non-curatorial museum roles including the areas of conservation, museum education, interpretation, digital culture, collections management, and exhibition design, fabrication and production.

Location
Washington, DC

Internships at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Every year, the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage involves over a hundred interns in our various activities. We offer internships year-round in various fields, including folklore, cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology, linguistics, museum studies, arts administration, graphic and web design, videography, marketing, social media, and library science. Internships can take place remotely or in Washington, D.C.

Michelle Knovic Smith Education Technology Internship

Office of Educational Technology

Michelle Knovic Smith (1950–2021), as an educator, mentor, and leader, in her more than three decades at the Smithsonian, pioneered innovative and effective approaches to the Smithsonian's mission of the “diffusion of knowledge.” First, as Publications Director for the Institution’s teacher magazines, Art to Zoo and Smithsonian in Your Classroom, Michelle developed publications and distribution strategies that reached every school in the country.

Leadership for Change Internship

Smithsonian Affiliations

The Leadership for Change internship recruits young people who are motivated to support their communities and advance social justice. The eight-week, paid program provides interns with meaningful and enriching experiences and programming to strengthen their understanding of and commitment to social justice and leadership, in addition to hands-on learning experiences in their local communities. Interns will become museum advocates and explore new ways to bring museum content, resources, and expertise to communities near and far.  

Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA)

Central Smithsonian Wide Internships

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.

Internships at the National Zoo

National Zoo

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. 

Internships at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

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. 

Because of Her Story Cohort Internship Program

Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative

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.

Internships at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum

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.

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