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Information
Internships by Subject
Group Browse here for current Smithsonian internship opportunities by the following subjects:
Art
History and Culture
Libraries, Archives, and Preservation
Professional Services
Science and Research
Art
ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART

Internships are available to undergraduates and graduate students who have a background in art history, American studies, or American history and are looking for the opportunity to conduct research in primary sources, process archival collections, prepare written descriptions of collection contents, and assist with registrarial duties.

Archives of American Art Internships
COOPER-HEWITT, NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum offers a variety of paid and non-paid internship opportunities. The Internship Program was established to encourage promising young students of art history, architectural history, museum studies, museum education, and design to explore careers in the museum profession. Interns are assigned to specific curatorial, education, or administrative departments where they will assist on special research or exhibition projects, as well as participate in daily museum activities.
Cooper-Hewitt Internships
FREER & SACKLER GALLERIES

The Dick Louie Memorial Internship for Americans of Asian Descent
The Freer and Sackler Galleries, the national museum of Asian art at the Smithsonian Institution, offers a paid internship for high school students of Asian descent. The Richard Louie Memorial Internship was established in 1994 to honor Richard Louie, former associate director of the Freer and Sackler Galleries and is made possible by funds donated through the Richard Louie Memorial Fund. Its goal is to offer young people of Asian descent practical experience in a museum setting.

Freer/Sackler Internships
Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Internships are available to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students for special projects and general departmental work in the following departments: Administration, Collections Management (Registrar), Conservation and Scientific Research, Curatorial, Design and Installation, Development, Education (including public programs), Library and Archives, Publications, Photography, Public Affairs, and Shops. A working knowledge of pertinent Asian languages is suggested for curatorial internships.
Freer/Sackler Internships
HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN
Summer internships are offered for college juniors and seniors who have completed at least 12 semester hours in art history. This is a competitive program through which interns are placed in one of several departments in the museum.
Graduate student internships are available for students in accredited art history, museum studies, museum education, or arts management graduate programs and are offered during an academic semester.
Hirshhorn Internships
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART (NMAfA)

Fall, spring, and summer internships are offered to students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs and to individuals interested in exploring museum professions. Internship opportunities are available in the following departments: conservation, curatorial, education, exhibition and design, photographic archives, public affairs, and registration. Candidates must have a background in art history, anthropology, museum studies, or a related discipline. Specific training in African art or other aspects of African culture is desirable, particularly in the Education and Curatorial Departments.

NMAfA internships
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY (NPG)
The availability of internships is dependent on departmental projects and staff needs, as well as the background, skills, and interest of the applicant.
NPG internships
SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM (SAAM)
Advanced Level Internship Program
This comprehensive museum training program is designed for graduate students who have completed 12 or more graduate credit hours. Career objectives are matched to department assignments, with students moving through a variety of offices. A series of workshops and seminars is conducted on a weekly basis, in conjunction with project assignments. Along with applicants majoring in art history, American studies, American history, or studio art, students with other academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Academic credit may be awarded by the student's academic institution in contractual arrangement with the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Applicants should have their advisor or department chair contact the intern program officer. This program may also be done for self-enrichment without academic credit; exceptional college seniors or recent graduates will be considered on an individual basis.
SAAM internships
Summer Internships
The summer internship program is designed for undergraduates with little or no previous museum experience. The museum matches students' career objectives with the activities of the professional staff in one office for eight weeks. Along with those possessing degrees in art history, American studies, American history, or studio art, applicants with other academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Recent graduates or graduate students with little or no previous museum experience will be considered on an individual basis. Academic credit is not available in the summer program.
SAAM internships
Art Conservation Internships
Students enrolled in graduate art conservation programs may apply for internships at the National Museum of American Art. Intern projects in the past have dealt with painting, paper, and objects conservation.
SAAM internships
SMITHSONIAN CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND MUSEUM STUDIES (SCEMS)
Katzenberger Art History Internship Program

The Katzenberger Foundation Art History Internship Program is a need-based program supporting internships for undergraduate art history juniors and seniors in research and collections projects at the Smithsonian Institution, generously funded by the Katzenberger Foundation, and administered by the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS). 

Program Dates: June 8, 2009 to August 14, 2009
$5,000 Stipend Award
Open to undergraduate Juniors & Seniors majoring in Art History

Internships:

  1. Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (CHNDM) Library
    Library Research
  2. Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (FGA/AMSG)
    Freer Collections Research
  3. National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
    Exhibition Research
  4. National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
    Collections Research
  5. National Museum of American History (NMAH)
    Collections Management (Graphic Arts)
  6. National Portrait Gallery (NPG)
    Education Department Programs

Applications due by 02/01/2009.

Use the SOLAA ONLINE System to Apply:
https://solaa.si.edu

  1. Register for SOLAA
  2. Select internship
  3. Select “Smithsonian Katzenberger Art History Internship Program”

Download more program info HERE.

SCEMS internships
History and Culture
ANACOSTIA COMMUNITY MUSEUM

Internships are available to undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in documenting and interpreting the effect of historical and contemporary social and cultural issues on communities.. They are available in the Registrar's Office and the following departments: Research, Exhibits Design and Production, Education, Public Programs, and Public Affairs. The Intern Coordinator must be contacted prior to application submission for applications to be considered.

Anacostia Museum internships
ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART

Internships are available to undergraduate seniors and graduate students who have a background in art history, American studies, or American history and are looking for the opportunity to conduct research in primary sources, process archival collections, prepare written descriptions of collection contents, and assist with registrarial duties.

Archives of American Art internships
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PROGRAM

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program works to better reflect the Asian Pacific American experience in Smithsonian exhibitions, programs, and research. It improves the public’s appreciation of the crucial roles that Asian Pacific Americans have played in American history and, simultaneously, empowers APA communities in their sense of inclusion within our national culture.
Contact: Internship Coordinator, anielk@si.edu for more information about internship opportunities within the Program.

Asian Pacific American Program internships
CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (CFCH)
Internships are offered year-round in the fields of folklore, cultural anthropology, and ethnomusicology of the United States and other countries. Intern projects often center around research for, design and production of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Folklife Archive, educational outreach projects, or video projects.
CFCH internships
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM (NASM)
Internships are offered during the summer semester to undergraduate and graduate students studying museology, history, aviation, space science, photography, journalism, education, aircraft restoration and preservation, earth and planetary studies, archives, development, exhibits, public affairs, science, and library disciplines.
NASM internships
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART (NMAfA)

Fall, spring, and summer internships are offered to students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs and to individuals interested in exploring museum professions. Internship opportunities are available in the following departments: conservation, curatorial, education, exhibition and design, photographic archives, public affairs, and registration. Candidates must have a background in art history, anthropology, museum studies, or a related discipline. Specific training in African art or other aspects of African culture is desirable, particularly in the Education and Curatorial Departments.

NMAfA internships
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN (NMAI)
The Internship Program of the National Museum of the American Indian is designed to provide an educational opportunity for students in the area of museum practice and related programming through guided work/research experiences using the resources of the National Museum of the American Indian and other Smithsonian offices. Past projects include developing and evaluating visitor guides, cataloging photos, monitoring collections, installing exhibits, exhibit research, and developing databases and press kits.
NMAI internships
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY (NMAH)
Internships are offered to undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in learning more about the work of the Museum and supporting its mission.  Designed around specific Museum projects, internships are available in the following areas:  archival science; curatorial research and collections documentation; exhibition design and graphic production; public relations; special events; museum management; music; education and public program production.  Full time and part time opportunities are available; minimum of 2 months.
NMAH internships
Lemelson Internships
The Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the National Museum of American History offers full-time, ten-week, archival internship opportunities for graduate students each summer.
Lemelson internships
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY (NPG)
The availability of internships is dependent on departmental projects and staff needs, as well as the background, skills, and interest of the applicant.
NPG internships
NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM (NPM)
Internships are available for undergraduate students and some high school students. Areas of study include American studies, postal history, transportation history, philately, education, exhibits, collections management, and public affairs.
NPM internships
SMITHSONIAN LATINO CENTER (SLC)
The Smithsonian Latino Center hosts interns year round. Internship projects vary according to projects and the intern's skills and academic field. Internship projects are usually tied to an exhibition-physical or virtual, publication, or website highlight. For more information call 202.633.1240.
SLC internships
 
Libraries, Archives, and Preservation
ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART

Internships are available to undergraduate seniors and graduate students who have a background in art history, American studies, or American history and are looking for the opportunity to conduct research in primary sources, process archival collections, prepare written descriptions of collection contents, and assist with registrarial duties.

Archives of American Art Internships
ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN GARDENS
The internship is designed to provide experience in collections management and education in American garden design, landscape history and horticulture by working on a growing photographic collection.
The projects focuses on organizing and processing photographic materials, maintaining archival records, and image digitization. This internship program is provided for both undergraduates and graduate students. Some previous coursework or experience in history, museum studies, library science, or American studies is recommended.
Archives of American Gardens Internships
MUSEUM CONSERVATION INSTITUTION (MCI)
Summer internships are offered to students enrolled in graduate conservation training programs or those with equivalent education and experience. Pre-program internships are available for individuals seeking experience to enhance their qualifications for entry into a graduate conservation training program. Conservation internships are offered for advanced students enrolled in graduate conservation training programs that require the student to have a year of such experience.
Research Internships and Fellowships of varying length are available for undergraduate and graduate students in the appropriate disciplines.
MCI internships
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION ARCHIVES (SIA)
The Smithsonian Institution Archives offers internships to students interested in gaining experience in archival methods, institutional history, oral history, history of science, documentary editing, and collections management.
SIA internships
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES (SIL)
The Smithsonian Institution Libraries offers internship opportunities to graduate students and library professionals and to undergraduate students interested in exploring a career in library and information sciences. Intern assignments, which are carried out under direct SIL staff supervision, may include a discrete project or a structured practical experience. Internships are available in the three divisions of the SIL: Research Services, Management and Technical Services, and Information Systems. Intern selections are based on the needs of the SIL and the background, skills, and interest of the applicant.
SIL internships
Professional Services
HORTICULTURE SERVICES DIVISION
Horticulture Services Division offers a number of diverse paid and unpaid intern positions year-round that provide practical learning experiences in the many HSD programs including garden maintenance and management, greenhouse production, landscape design, collections management (orchids, garden archives, horticultural artifacts), irrigation, integrated pest management, and educational outreach.  Special projects may be added to an intern’s regular duties; they vary greatly and are determined on an individual basis.  Any current or recent undergraduate or graduate student majoring in horticulture, landscape architecture, collections management, or other related field are encouraged to apply.
Horticulture Services Internships
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK
ZooGoer
Internships are available for undergraduate and recent graduate students who possess a strong background in writing, editing, natural history, and biology or a related field. Interns work in Friends of the National Zoo's Communications Office, which publishes ZooGoer magazine and other zoo-related publications, and handles media relations. Responsibilities include research, writing, editing, fact checking, photo research, and occasional administrative tasks.
ZooGoer internships
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OFFICE OF CONTRACTING AND PERSONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (OCon&PPM)

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The Office of Contracting and Personal Property Management (OCon&PPM) acquires goods and services, negotiates contracts and agreements, manages the charge card program, and provides leadership in personal property management in support of the objectives and goals of the Smithsonian Institution. Interns in OCon&PPM complete tasks that involve researching and synopsizing for assigned preceptors various Public Laws, regulatory agencies’ requirements and internal policy and procedural issuances. The preceptors will use the information to: determine what impact the various issuances have on acquisitions and personal property management operations; draft reports, updating acquisition and personal property management policies and procedures, and establishing or refining templates for contracts and agreements.  Interns shall also be requested to further research regulatory, administrative and office workload issues, and be assigned other office administration, procurement or personal property management related tasks by their preceptors. Interns’ assignments may relate specifically to activities of the immediate office of the Director or one or more of five Divisions. 

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OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT