Museum Internships in Los Angeles: A Comprehensive Guide

Los Angeles, a vibrant hub of arts and culture, boasts a diverse array of museums offering invaluable internship opportunities for students and emerging professionals. These internships provide hands-on experience, networking possibilities, and a chance to contribute to the preservation and presentation of art, history, and culture. This article explores various museum internship programs in Los Angeles, highlighting opportunities at institutions like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Getty Center and Getty Villa, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and more.

Opportunities at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

LACMA, a major art museum spanning numerous cultures, offers a variety of employment opportunities, including potential internships. While LAtourist.com notes that it does not offer internships, fellowships, grants, or volunteer opportunities, LACMA itself provides a range of positions that may be of interest to those seeking museum experience. LACMA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing equal employment practices and opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran or marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Specific Roles at LACMA

LACMA periodically seeks candidates for a range of roles that could be relevant to aspiring museum professionals. These roles provide a sense of the diverse expertise required to run a major art museum:

Provenance Specialist: The Provenance Specialist is crucial for researching and documenting the ownership history of artworks in LACMA's collection and for potential acquisitions. This role involves close collaboration with Registration & Collections, Curatorial, and Conservation departments, ensuring ethical stewardship and compliance with cultural property laws. The role requires experience improving collecting practices within museums or related organizations, ability to handle sensitive topics with discretion, and an established network of contacts in the field of provenance research.
Facilities Operations Manager: This position is responsible for coordinating and overseeing operations related to office management, janitorial services, grounds maintenance, and pest control. They collaborate with the AVP of Facilities & Sustainability to implement strategic initiatives and manage the departmental budget. Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Business Management, or a similar field, or a minimum of 5 years of experience in a related field.
Project Conservator, Paintings: This role focuses on the conservation and restoration of paintings within the museum’s collection. Responsibilities include conducting condition assessments, developing conservation treatments, and documenting the process. A Master’s degree in Conservation, Art History, or a related field, with a specialization in paintings conservation is preferred.
Project Conservator, Textiles: Similar to the Paintings Conservator, this role focuses on textiles and costumes. Responsibilities include condition assessments, treatment, and documentation. A Master’s degree in Conservation, with a focus on textile conservation is preferred.
Donor Advisor: This role is part of the Development team, focusing on fundraising and donor relations. Responsibilities include researching, cultivating, and soliciting significant donors. A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Psychology, Art History or Political Science is preferred.
Museum Store Associate: This position focuses on customer service and sales in the museum store, processing inventory, and promoting LACMA memberships.

The Getty Internships & Fellowships

The Getty Foundation offers a wide array of internship programs, providing opportunities at the Getty Center and Getty Villa, as well as projects throughout Los Angeles. These internships often include stipends, making them more accessible to students.

Getty Marrow Internships

The Getty Marrow Internships are specifically designed for undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in professions related to museums, social science, and the arts. These internships aim to diversify the field by providing opportunities for students who might not otherwise have access to them.

Read also: Internship Guide

Other Opportunities at the Getty

In addition to the Getty Marrow Internships, the Getty Foundation offers Residential Research Grants and Fellowships, including Getty Scholar Grants, Doctoral Fellowships, Residential Grants, Library Research Grants, and Conservation Science Grants. These programs support advanced research in art history, conservation, and related fields.

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Internship Program

MOCA offers a year-round internship program providing opportunities to work in various departments. MOCA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to extending equal opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local laws.

Temporary Talking Tours Educator at MOCA

The Temporary Talking Tours Educator researches, develops, and conducts dialogue-based tours for diverse museum visitors. This role requires extensive knowledge of contemporary art and art practices.

Educator at MOCA

The Educator will primarily assist with the development and implementation of discussion-based tours for students and learner-centered professional development trainings for teachers, as well as assist with our family programs. Availability to work a part-time schedule that varies according to the academic calendar.

Other Museum Internship Opportunities in Los Angeles

Besides LACMA, the Getty, and MOCA, several other museums in Los Angeles offer internship opportunities.

Read also: Internships at History Museums

Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM): CAFAM utilizes interns in various areas, including exhibition research/installation, educational programming, marketing, and special events.
Japanese American National Museum: This museum offers a volunteer program that can provide valuable experience in museum operations.
Autry Museum of the American West: The Autry Museum offers internship opportunities to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC): NHMLAC, encompassing the Natural History Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, and the William S. Hart Museum, offers diverse opportunities ranging from entry-level to executive positions.
Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA): IAMLA seeks qualified undergraduate candidates in museum studies, history, education, library studies, and other relevant fields for a ten-week paid summer internship. One internship focuses on exhibitions, collections, and research, while the other focuses on education, communications, and research.
Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College: The Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College aspires to make the visual arts an essential part of the Pomona College student experience. The Museum’s exhibitions, collections, and related programs encourage active learning and creative explorations across disciplines. Paid internships at the Museum offer many different opportunities to become familiar with museum work.

Tips for Securing a Museum Internship

Research: Identify museums that align with your interests and career goals. Explore their websites for internship programs and application requirements.
Tailor Your Application: Customize your cover letter and resume for each internship, highlighting relevant skills and experiences.
Network: Attend museum events, lectures, and workshops to connect with professionals in the field.
Gain Relevant Experience: Volunteer at museums or cultural organizations to build your skills and demonstrate your commitment to the field.
Highlight Transferable Skills: Emphasize skills such as research, writing, communication, and organization, which are valuable in museum settings.
Meet the Qualifications: Review the qualifications of applicants and recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role.

Read also: The Heritage of Spring Grove

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