Smithsonian Institution Internship Program

Smithsonian Institution Internship Program
Name	Smithsonian Institution Internship Program
Caption	National Air and Space Museum, one of the Smithsonian museums hosting interns
Formation	1960s
Location	Washington, D.C.
Type	Internship program
Parent organization	Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Institution Internship Program

The Smithsonian Institution Internship Program places students and recent graduates in supervised experiential positions across the Smithsonian Institution complex, connecting interns with collections, research, and public programs at museums and research centers such as the National Museum of Natural History, National Air and Space Museum, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The program supports professional development through mentored projects tied to curatorial, conservation, research, education, and digital initiatives, collaborating with institutions like the National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, and federal partners including the National Park Service and U.S. Department of State. It attracts applicants from universities such as Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, Yale University, and Howard University and serves disciplines connected to specific museums or research centers.

Overview

The program functions as a distributed internship network within the Smithsonian Institution umbrella, placing participants at venues including the National Museum of American History, National Portrait Gallery, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, National Zoological Park, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the Anacostia Community Museum. Interns engage with initiatives tied to collections management, field research at sites like the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, exhibition development at locations such as the Renwick Gallery, public programming aligned with events like the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and digital projects integrating partnerships with Google Arts & Culture and the Smithsonian Institution Archives.

History

Internship offerings trace to apprenticeship and volunteer traditions in 19th-century institutions like the United States National Museum and expanded during the postwar era alongside academic museum training programs at institutions including the Cooperstown Graduate Program and the Smithsonian‑affiliated training programs. Formalized internship tracks grew in the 1960s and 1970s as the Smithsonian Institution system broadened, paralleling initiatives at the National Science Foundation and collaborations with universities such as Columbia University and University of Michigan. Legislative and administrative changes—intersecting with statutes affecting federal museum operations like the Smithsonian Institution Act of 1846 legacy—shaped funding and program scope, while high-profile exhibitions at venues such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture influenced expansion of curatorial and community-focused internships.

Program Structure and Eligibility

The program offers semester, summer, and year-long placements with eligibility criteria referencing academic standing at colleges such as Princeton University, University of Chicago, Spelman College, and international institutions like the University of Oxford. Eligibility often requires enrollment or recent graduation, relevant coursework tied to hosting units—examples include anthropology placements linked to the American Anthropological Association networks or conservation placements aligning with standards from the American Institute for Conservation. Applicants must meet security and access requirements for collections and research facilities such as the National Museum of Natural History specimen labs and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

Application and Selection Process

Applications typically require a résumé, academic transcript from institutions like Cornell University or Stanford University, letters of recommendation, and a project statement proposing work with departments such as the Office of Exhibits Central or the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Selection panels include curators, conservators, and researchers from units including the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, with competitive review comparable to fellowship competitions like the Fulbright Program and selection committees influenced by priorities at donor institutions such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Internship Types and Departments

Internships span curatorial work at the National Museum of African Art, conservation at the Smithsonian Gardens, research at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, collections management at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, education at the Anacostia Community Museum, digitization with the Digitization Program Office, media production with Smithsonian Channel collaborators, and fieldwork through the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Special programs include fellowships in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Humanities, research internships tied to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, and internships supporting exhibitions like those once mounted at the National Museum of American Indian.

Compensation, Benefits, and Housing

Compensation varies: paid internships may be funded through Smithsonian operational funds, grants from foundations such as the Ford Foundation or the Kresge Foundation, or sponsored fellowships; unpaid internships are also offered with stipends in some cases. Benefits tied to paid appointments can include limited access to Smithsonian Institution Libraries resources and transportation stipends; housing assistance is occasionally available through partnerships with universities or organizations such as the Washington Intern Student Housing network and the DC Housing Authority collaborations. Health and security clearances, where required, follow protocols similar to those used by federal research entities like the National Institutes of Health.

Outcomes and Career Development

Alumni proceed to roles at institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, London, Field Museum of Natural History, academic appointments at universities such as Georgetown University and University of California, Los Angeles, and positions in cultural policy with agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts. Professional development resources include workshops modeled on programs from the Association of Art Museum Curators and networking through events tied to the American Alliance of Museums annual meeting. The program’s track record is documented through alumni contributions to publications in journals such as Science, American Anthropologist, and exhibition catalogues produced by Smithsonian units.

Category:Smithsonian Institution Category:Internship programs