National Portrait Gallery Internship: Requirements and Opportunities
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery offers formal internships to qualified applicants seeking a creative and exciting museum experience. A Smithsonian internship is a prearranged, structured learning experience that takes place during the fall, spring, or summer semester. As an intern, you’re not just an observer but an active participant in the museum’s daily activities and long-term projects.
Internship Experience: A Deep Dive
Interning at the National Portrait Gallery is an immersive experience, offering exposure to diverse facets of museum operations. From curation and exhibition design to public programming and archival work, interns are integral to the gallery’s functioning. Once accepted, interns become part of an environment where learning and contribution go hand in hand. They work alongside seasoned professionals, gaining insights into the intricacies of museum management and the curation of historical artifacts.
The availability of internships depends upon departmental projects and staff needs, as well as the background, skills, and interests of the applicant. Qualifications vary depending upon the project, but most are for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. colleges and universities will recognize academic work performed while interning.
Roles and Responsibilities
Interns have the opportunity to collaborate with professionals across various departments, gaining insights into different aspects of museum work. The program also values individualized experiences, allowing you to focus on areas that align with your academic interests and career goals, and develop specialized skills and knowledge in a dynamic environment.
- Curatorial Department: In the curatorial department, interns might assist in researching artists, historical figures, or specific artworks. They could contribute to the development of exhibitions by conducting scholarly research, writing exhibition texts, or organizing relevant materials. This internship provides an opportunity to gain firsthand experience and professional training in a fast-paced curatorial department.
- Education and Public Programs: The education and public programs department offers interns opportunities to engage with visitors, develop educational materials, and assist in organizing events such as workshops, lectures, or guided tours.
- Conservation: The conservation department provides a unique perspective on the meticulous work involved in preserving artworks.
- Administrative Roles: Simultaneously, interns in administrative roles support the gallery’s daily operations.
- Office of the Registrar: The Office of the Registrar is responsible for the care, tracking, and transport of the permanent collection and objects on loan for exhibitions; creating and maintaining accession files; and the management of the museum’s collections information database, The Museum System (TMS). The internship will provide an excellent opportunity to learn about editing and museum publishing and gain experience in collections management, museum registration, and collections information standards.
- Publications Department: The Publications department reviews all written materials the museum produces for the public, including exhibition catalogues and labels. The internship will provide an excellent opportunity to learn about editing and museum publishing.
- Office of Advancement: The Office of Advancement is pleased to offer internship opportunities for candidates interested in fundraising and development-oriented careers. Through these internships the Office of Advancement seeks to provide interns with meaningful professional learning experiences.
- Office of Public Affairs: Interested in communicating stories of women’s history with a wide variety of audiences? Join the central Office of Public Affairs for a full public relations experience, working with traditional media, social media, internal communications and web development. Help us uncover stories of American women’s history and find ways to share them with journalists, tourists, students, visitors and staff. The central Office of Public Affairs (in the Office of Communications and External Affairs) supports all of the Smithsonian museums, research centers and internal offices, including the Office of the Secretary, with public relations.
- Communications Department: The Communications Department at the National Portrait Gallery is responsible for all promotion related to the museum’s exhibitions, public programs, and collection. The intern's tasks will broadly be focused on supporting the communications department as a whole with an emphasis on upcoming exhibitions. This internship will provide an excellent opportunity to gain experience in a fast-paced work environment at a prestigious museum, preparing the intern for a career in the arts, museums, or nonprofits.
The culmination of the internship often involves a final project or presentation, allowing interns to showcase their acquired skills and knowledge.
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Available Internship Programs
The Smithsonian Institution offers diverse internship opportunities across its various museums and centers. Here's a glimpse into some of them:
- 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.
- National Museum of African American History and Culture: Internships at the National Museum of African American History and Culture offer undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates' opportunities to work closely with professionals and scholars in the museum field. The museum provides a dynamic learning environment and access to supportive mentors that help interns reach their academic and professional goals. Interns receive a stipend while they gain practical museum skills and program development experience in a variety of positions!
- National Museum of Natural History: Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) is a 10-week summer internship program hosted at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The internship is full time, 40 hours per week, starting in early June through early August. The NMNH Summer High School Internship at the Smithsonian Institution supports current high school attendees, ages 14 to 18, interested in learning about what working at a museum is like. Internships are offered in the Department of Entomology and the Department of Exhibits. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History seeks a science writing intern interested in developing science communication skills in an active communications and public affairs office and gaining experience in an active communications and public affairs office.
- National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI): 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 National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is committed to equity and social justice for the Native/Indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere through education, inspiration, and empowerment. NMAI stewards one of the most extensive collections of Native American cultural heritage in the world - approximately 825,000 items - representing over 12,000 years of history and more than 1,200 Indigenous cultures throughout the Americas.
- Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC): The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) believes that a great 21st-century museum is more than a building. We must engage communities in surprising and innovative ways, transcending boundaries and barriers.
- 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.
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum: The Peter A. Krueger Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate students the unique opportunity to develop professional skills and learn about museum practices at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
- Smithsonian Associates: Interns with Smithsonian Associates are offered unique opportunities to learn about all aspects of educational programming for both adults and children, while contributing extensively to one of the world's great cultural institutions. This internship offers the unique opportunity to immerse in all the Summer children’s’ program offered by Associates. Looking for a team of interns both on in person and virtual.
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO): The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Summer Intern Program is a 10-week NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship where students take on an astrophysics research project with an SAO or Harvard scientist. Students are expected to work at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics for the full duration of the program.
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC): The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) provides science-based knowledge to meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century.
- Smithsonian Gardens: Smithsonian Gardens provides an array of public garden learning experiences through its internship program thanks to the wide diversity of services and programs it offers at the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex.
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI): The purpose of the STRI General Internship Program is to provide a place for internship applicants who are generally interested in STRI’s science to pursue a research experience with one of our scientific mentors based on their interests.
- Digitization Program Office (DPO): Thank you for your interest in the work of the Smithsonian's Digitization Program Office (DPO) which is an office within the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). OCIO provides the Smithsonian’s central computing and telecommunications services; provides leadership in information technology throughout the Institution in support of systems planning and development, communications, and computer-related training; and provides policy and guidance to ensure the integrity and security of Institutional automated data.
- Office of General Counsel (OGC): Legal interns in the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) work closely with attorneys whose work covers such diverse topics as tax, employment discrimination, ethics, imports/exports, federal appropriations, intellectual property, and environmental law.
- Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) Undergraduate Internship: The Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) Undergraduate Internship is a paid 12-week, cohort-based museum studies program that offers hands-on training opportunities in non-curatorial subfields to participants interested in museum careers.
Academic Year Internship Program Details
The Academic Year Internship Program is designed for candidates who have an undergraduate degree or will have one by Spring 2025 and current or former graduate students.
Duration: The internship is full-time for 34-weeks from September 22, 2025, to May 15, 2026. Full commitment to the 34-week period is essential.
Hybrid Work Model: Depending on your project placement, you’ll have an opportunity to combine on-site and remote work. Details are determined together with your project supervisor.
Compensation and Support:
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- Internship Stipend: You’ll receive \$25.26 per hour, reflecting our commitment to accessible and rewarding opportunities. Internship stipend amount for the 34-week academic year internship is \$34,353.60.
- Cost-of-Living Stipend: While interns are responsible for securing their own housing, we’re pleased to offer all accepted academic year interns a modest one-time cost-of-living stipend. This stipend is provided to assist with expenses such as travel/relocation and accommodations during your internship.
Deadline: Applications must be submitted online by April 4, 2025, by 5:00pm EST.
Requirements: Complete the online application, which includes: an online form, short answer questions, a work sample, a résumé or CV, and contact information for two references.
Selection Process: If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be contacted for a virtual interview. Final decisions will be made by early-to-mid-May.
Important Notes: All application materials are accepted only through our online portal.
Summer Internship Program Details
Our Summer Internship Program at the National Gallery is crafted to provide a deep dive into the world of art. Join us for an internship experience that’s more than just an addition to your resume - it’s a summer that’ll shape your future in the arts.
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Tailored Learning and Skill Development: We take the time to understand where you're coming from and where you want to go. Your summer with us is tailored to fit you-not the other way around. We'll find the project that matches your interests and challenges you to learn and grow.
Mentorship and Community Building: As an intern, you’re paired with experienced professionals who provide guidance to enrich your learning journey and sense of belonging. We also provide weekly sessions like special tours, conversations with directors and senior administrators, and presentations to offer an inside look at the museum’s operations and deepen your discovery process of the art world. In addition, you’ll become part of a vibrant intern community. Our program fosters a cohort atmosphere where interns support each other, share experiences, and grow collectively.
Financial Support and Accessible Opportunities: We believe in making our internships accessible.
Who can apply? Our Summer Internship Program is open to all who have a passion for art and culture. Whether you’re currently in school, a recent graduate, contemplating a career shift, or looking to gain experience in the art world, we welcome your application.
Program Details:
Duration: The internship is full-time for 9 weeks, from June 2 to August 1, 2025. Full commitment to the nine-week period is essential.
Hybrid Work Model: Depending on your project placement, you’ll have an opportunity to combine on-site and remote work. Details are determined together with your project supervisor.
Compensation and Support:
- Internship Stipend: You’ll receive \$25.26 per hour, reflecting our commitment to accessible and rewarding opportunities. Internship stipend amount for the nine-week summer internship is \$9,093.60.
- Cost-of-Living Stipend: While interns are responsible for securing their own housing, we’re pleased to offer all accepted summer interns a modest one-time cost-of-living stipend. This stipend is provided to assist with expenses such as travel/relocation and accommodations during your internship.
Deadline: Applications must be submitted online by February 21, 2025 by 5:00pm EST. The Claudine K. We have reached the 100 applications limit (1/24/25) and are no longer accepting applications for Summer 2025.
Requirements: Complete the online application, which includes: an online form, short answer questions, a work sample, a résumé or CV, and contact information for two references. Do NOT submit your application until all necessary components are uploaded (i.e., transcripts, personal essay, resume). Upload your documents as a .pdf or .jpeg file.
Selection Process: If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be contacted for a virtual interview. Final decisions will be made by late March/early April.
Important Notes: All application materials are accepted only through our online portal.
General Requirements and Skills
The intern should have a serious interest in museum collections management, be detail-oriented, and have sound written and oral communication skills. In addition to having excellent writing skills, which provide the foundation for editorial work, the intern should have completed college-level coursework in art history, English, and/or the history of the United States. Experience with Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) is important. Interns must be able to communicate in a professional, effective manner with press, vendors, museum visitors, and fellow staff members. The intern should be detail-oriented, have an interest in research, and possess strong writing and critical thinking skills.
Mentorship and Community Building
As an intern, you’re paired with experienced professionals who provide guidance to enrich your learning journey and sense of belonging. We also provide weekly sessions like special tours, conversations with directors and senior administrators, and presentations to offer an inside look at the museum’s operations and deepen your discovery process of the art world. In addition, you’ll become part of a vibrant intern community. Our program fosters a cohort atmosphere where interns support each other, share experiences, and grow collectively.
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