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.

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.

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.  

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.

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 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!