Maryland State Archives Internships

The Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, Maryland holds government documents dating back to the state government's creation in 1634, including paper documents, photographs, and maps. They also have an extensive digitized collection accessible online and are continuing the digitization process. The archives offers year-round volunteer internships for high school, undergraduate, and grad students. They also occasionally offer paid internships, which are listed on their website when available.

Information on Opportunity:

• Available to students attending school in Maryland or Maryland residents attending school out-of-state, including:
• High school students
• Undergraduates
• Graduate students
• Internship departments:
• Archival Management
• Historical Research
• Electronic Archives
• Possible tasks:
• Research
• Writing
• Web design
• Electronic imaging
• Computer programming
• Record stripping
• Accessioning
• Emphasis on computer technology in historical research and archiving
• May require off-site work
• Available throughout school year and summer
• More information here

Application Information:

• Mail application
• Required materials (as of 5/5/17)
• Cover Letter
• Maryland State Employment Form (available on website)
• Letter of recommendation from faculty member
• Writing sample
• Unofficial academic transcripts
• More information here

Check the Maryland State Archives website for information on other jobs and volunteer work.

This information was all taken from the MSA website and can only be guaranteed as up-to-date as of 5/5/2017. Always check the organization's website for the most current information.

• Browse other opportunities in the Mid-Atlantic area
• Browse other archival internships
• Browse other internships for high school students
• Browse other internships for undergrads
• Browse other internships for grad students

The Barnes Art Museum Internships (Philadelphia)

The Barnes Foundation, who run both an art museum in Philadelphia and an arboretum in Merion, PA, offer internship programs for undergraduate and grad students. The Barnes is a unique art museum located near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, encompassing an extensive collection of some of the biggest names in impressionist and early modern art that belonged to one man who insisted his collection be kept inside of his home. Thus the gallery space is set up exactly as his home was and the art is hung in the same spaces as in his original home, which had become too small a space for the amount of visitors wanting to see the unparalleled collection.

Internship Information:

• Open to undergraduate and graduate students
• Summer, fall, and spring internships
• Semester or longer internships available
• Departments available:
• Arboretum
• Archives
• Art Education
• Art Library
• Conservation
• Curatorial
• Development (Giving)
• Finance
• Graphic Design
• Horticulture Education
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Legal
• Marketing and Social Media
• Membership
• PR
• Publications
• Registration
• Visual Resource, Website
• Summer internship: 8 consecutive weeks, at least 2 days/week, Friday mandatory enrichment activities
• Typical Deadlines:
• Summer: March 1
• Fall: June 1
• Spring: October 1
• Application, resume, essay, transcripts, 2 letters of recommendation mailed
• More information here

Long Branch Plantation house museum Internships (Virginia)

Long Branch Plantation is a house museum and event venue in Clark County, VA, near Winchester. The Greek Revival mansion sits on acres of rolling farmland, home to a house farm, pond, and plenty of scenic greenery backed by the Appalachian mountains. Long Branch seeks to innovate the experience of a house museum and make it more relevant to today's visitors. It also offers public programming and a horse retirement facility. This undiscovered jewel of a historic home offers internships in a variety of departments.

Internship Information:

• Chance to complete independent projects
• Hands-on learning opportunities
• Create original work to share with public
• Departments available to complete projects in:
• Historic Preservation
• Digital History 
• Social Media
• Archival Research
• Marketing/Community Outreach
• Content Creation: Exhibits, Brochures, and Web
• Event Planning
• To apply, email resume with a short statement of interest
• More information available here

Volunteer and employment opportunities can be found here.

Quirky Museum Internships

Interested in volunteering or interning with a museum that's a little out-of-the-ordinary? Here are some lists of novelty museums throughout the U.S. and beyond to peruse. Many are on the lower budget side so don't have formal or paid internship programs, but if you have a particular field of interest that you'd like to pursue, such places usually rely on volunteer work!

• "27 Coolest Museums in America" on U.S. City Traveler: a collection of quirky, subject-specific museums throughout the US, most of which are lower budget though not all; if you're into oddities or collections of specific things, this is a great source
• "The 50 Coolest Museums" on Complex: (U.S., Canada, Finland, England, and France) highlights classier art and history museums with particularly noteworthy collections...very cool and helpful if you're looking for a world-class place to work!
• "51 Weird Museums Across the U.S." on Yahoo!: chooses a museum for each US state (and DC) that is noteworthy for its odd subject matter or intriguing exhibit or artifact on display 
• "World's Best Museums" on Air Canada enRoute: an array of noteworthy international museums with intriguing exhibits and breath-taking architectural designs as well as praiseworthy presentation and interpretation of their subjects
• "Canada's 8 Coolest Museums" on EscapeHere: list of some particularly gorgeous Canadian museums with incredible displays and exhibits
• "The Coolest Museums in London (You Never Knew Existed) on GoBackpacking: hidden gems with unique subject matter and gorgeous architecture in a truly remarkable historic city!

So whether you're looking for an internship, job, or vacation destination, explore away! I definitely found some places to put on my must-visit list...

Historic Ship Sailing Program and Volunteer Opportunities at the Erie Maritime Museum (PA)

U.S. Brig Niagara Sail Training Program at the Erie Maritime Museum (PA): the tall ship sails Lake Erie and even ventures into Great Lakes on its award-winning sail training programs. Most last two weeks and are for either high school (age 14-18) or college students and give participants the experience of living and working on a historic American tall ship. The college program is typically the second two weeks of May though there is an environment-focused college program in August as well. The experience is physically strenuous but (apparently) also very rewarding and gives a unique insight into the past! A background check and medical records and insurance verification are all required for application/enrollment, just fyi. More info here.

Volunteer opportunities are also offered at the Erie Maritime Museum, with work as a docent, historic interpreter, ship model builder, and ship maintenance crew member available. More info here.

Maryland Maritime Museum Internships

The Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons Maryland, a lovely little town on the Western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, focuses on the ecological and social history of the Chesapeake Bay region, including watermen, prehistoric life (dinosaur bones!), live aquatic animals (including manta rays and sea otters!), and military history. There are kid-friendly exhibits, a touch tank containing a variety of Bay organisms, and a furnished Chesapeake Bay lighthouse. There is also an outdoor stage that hosts major performing artists for concerts throughout the year.

Internship opportunities are posted here when available.

---------

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a unique waterfront museum encompassing a swath of land with multiple repurposed buildings featuring exhibits on Chesapeake Bay history, culture, and ecology. One of the most recognizable features of the museum is its 1870s lighthouse as well as its working boat docks, open to visitors arriving by sea, and historic boat collections and working boat shop. Internships are offered in the summer in the education, curatorial, and events fields. Housing may be available as well. The town and museum are beautiful and truly unique! The author served as an education internship and found it extremely rewarding. Seasonal and part-time work is often offered as well, as are boat crafting apprenticeships to qualified applicants.

Internship opportunities are posted here when available. (Most likely posted in January and February and due in late February for the summer.)

---------

National Constitution Museum Internships (Philadelphia)

The National Constitution Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is dedicated to interpreting the history and significance of the U.S. Constitution as well as iterating its significance to the modern world. The museum offers part-time internships to college students.

Internship Opportunities:

• College credit can be arranged with your university
• Discounts at museum store and restaurant
• Free parking
• For enrolled college students
• One to three days/week
• Potential available Opportunities:
• Legal studies
• Town Hall Speaker Series
• Museum Theater and Stage Management
• Public Relations
• Museum Programs 
• Marketing
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Exhibits
• Education
• Development
• More information here along with open position listings
• Application online; process varies by position 

There isn't a clear due date or specified semesters.

Information about volunteering can be found here. Volunteers must be 15 or older but can help with visitor services and exhibit education. 

Information about professional development opportunities, such as educator conferences, webinars, and free sneak peeks of exhibits, can be found here.

New Jersey Small Museums Internships - Part II

The first set of New Jersey small museums internships can be found here.

• The Howell Living History Farm, an 130-acre farm interpreted as a working farm in the early 1900s, offers an internship program in self-sufficient farming. Interns work for 12 weeks in the summer, spring, or fall and gain experience working with livestock, crop processing, gardening, and even wood and metalworking, as well as other tasks depending on the season. The opportunity is open to students and non-students. Sounds pretty cool! More info here. (Lambertville, NJ)
• The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts welcomes volunteer student interns. Those interested can send in a resume. Volunteers are welcome to work in programming, education, and visitor services. Sounds like a cool museum! More info here. (Madison, NJ)
• The Passaic County Historical Society has a house museum (Lambert Castle), museum, and library. They welcome high school and college age volunteer interns to work in collections, visitor services, events, research, library work, archival work, etc. More info here. (Paterson, NJ) 
• The Thomas Edison Museum at Menlo Park offers internship opportunities in Archives (college degree required) and Education (undergrad or grad), requesting two to three days work a week. More info here. (Edison, NJ)
• The Metlar Bodine House is a house museum and the historical museum of the Piscataway, NJ township.They welcome volunteers to work in Education, Preservation, Collections, PR, Tourism/Programming, Finance and Development, and Planning. More info here.
• The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center welcome volunteers, especially those interested in visitor services and leading tours. More info here. (Little Falls, NJ - Montclair State Univ. campus)
• The Grounds for Sculpture sculpture garden welcomes volunteers, who can work as docents or help in the Education, Performing Arts, Guest Services,Gardens, etc., and college and grad student interns interested in museum work. Internship info here. Volunteer info here. (Hamilton, NJ)
• The Hoboken Historical Museum offers volunteer work, in particular to help with their events and festivals. More info here. (Hoboken, NJ)
• The Twin Lights Museum is housed in a former lighthouse and is dedicated to interpreting lighthouse history and has volunteer work available in programming, education, and visitor services, as well as children's programming. More info here. (Highlands, NJ)
• The Whippany Railway Museum welcomes volunteers over 21 years old willing to do physical labor. More info here. (Whippany, NJ)

Other New Jersey Historic Sites:

• Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities & Emlen Physick Estate (Victorian home) - Cape May, NJ
• Walt Whitman Birthplace - Camden, NJ

Another list of New Jersey-area museum internships can be found here on the Seton Hall University's Museum Professions Internships page.

Browse other Northeastern, New York City, and Mid-Atlantic area museum internships.

Delaware Contemporary Art Museum Internships

The Delaware Contemporary is an innovative non-collecting art museum in Wilmington, DE with a focus on education, community engagement, and fostering relationships with local artists. The museum offers internships for older undergraduate and grad students with rolling admission.

Internship Opportunities:

• Unpaid
• 10-15 hour/week
• 12 weeks
• Junior/senior undergrad or graduate student
• Departments/Areas of Focus:
• Education
• Curatorial
• Marketing
• Museum Store
• Special Events

Application Information:

• Rolling admission
• Submit by email
• Materials (varies by department):
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Unofficial Transcript
• Writing Sample

Volunteer Opportunities can also be found on this page of the website, including docent positions.

Artist opportunities are posted on the website when available as well. 

Hagley Museum and Library Fellowships (DE)

Hagley Museum and Library is an educational institution and museum in Wilmington, DE consisting of the du Pont family's first home and gardens, gun powder yards, and a machine shop, a testament to nineteenth century industry. The du Ponts invented gun powder and owned and built a number of prominent properties in Delaware, now many of which are prominent museums. The museum, a Smithsonian affiliate, also contains a research library which offers fellowships and research grants to scholars conducting work that might benefit from the museum's resources.

Fellowship Information:

• Exploratory Research Grants: for one-week scholarly research visits
• Tri-annual consideration
• Due dates: March 31, June 30, October 31
• Henry Belin du Pont Research Grants: for up to eight weeks of research for more in-depth work
• Tri-annual consideration
• Due dates: March 31, June 30, October 31
• Henry Belin du Pont Dissertation Fellowships: for grad students who have completed coursework for a doctoral degree - up to four months
• Due date: November 15
• Dissertation Fellowship in Business and Politics: for grad students who have completed coursework for a doctoral degree - up to one year
• Due date: November 15
• Opportunities to give informal talks, write on the museum's research and collections blog, and participate in its scholarly interview programs are available
• Housing is available onsite for scholars
• More information can be found on the website

Volunteer opportunities are listed on the website, including opportunities for youth and for groups.

The museum also has a Youth Leadership Program for teens, which helps participants build professional skills and learn in the process. Applications are typically due in Late March.

Employment opportunities are posted on this page on the organization's website.

Delaware Museum of Natural History Internships

The Delaware Museum of Natural History, located in Wilmington, DE, is dedicated to the interpretation of science and ecology. They offer internships for high school and college students.

Internship Opportunities:

• Unpaid
• Summer
• College and grad student internships offered:
• Fundraising/Events (Development Dept.)
• Collections and Research
• Communications (marketing, PR, advertising, graphic design, web development are all possible focuses)
• Public Programming (early childhood edu., animal care, summer camp, gallery interpretation, education collections, events, family programs, rentals)
• High school internships offered:
• Public Programming (see above)
• Internships are posted early in the year on the organization's website

Volunteer opportunities are detailed on the museum website, located at this link.

Fallingwater Internships (PA)

Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's Western Pennsylvania home, offers paid summer internships with housing. Sounds like a sweet deal!

Internship information:

• Open to undergraduates and graduate students (completed or close to completion)
• 10 weeks, 40 hours/week
• Paid
• Housing on site
• Summer
• Possible majors of interest: Museum studies, Library/Information Science, Landscape architecture, horticulture, historic preservation, architecture, arts education, art history, etc
• Offered through the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, who runs the home
• Information and yearly listing located here: http://waterlandlife.org/412/internships

The Western PA Conservancy also offers a Watershed Conservation Intern as well as other short- and long-term hands-on internships and part-time unpaid fall and spring semester internships, I'm guessing in landscaping and nature conservancy-related fields. Learn more here.

Small Baltimore, MD Museum Internships

The Baltimore Museum of Industry offers volunteer internships for students with at least one year of undergraduate experience. The museum is located in Baltimore, MD and features a variety of historic machines and exhibits on American industrialization, factories, and inventions throughout US history. Internships are flexible and deadlines appear to be rolling.

Internship Information:

• Applicants must be 18 or older with at least a year of college 
• A criminal background investigation may be done on prospective interns
• Interviews and training will be conducted
• Mon - Thurs 10am - 4pm hours available
• Flexible hours/schedule
• Credit can be arranged with home college
• Possible departments to intern with:
• Archives, Library, and Photography
• Collections Storage and Inventory

Application Information:

• Online PDF form
• List of references
• Email the institution to inquire about internship positions
• No set deadlines

----------

Port Discovery on the downtown Baltimore harbor is an interactive museum for children. It doesn't have formal internship listings but can arrange internships with interested students from a variety of fields. Internships are on a volunteer basis and are limited.

Internship and application information:

• Available to undergrad and grad students
• unpaid
• Departments to work with:
• Education and programming
• Development and Marketing
• Exhibits
• Mail a cover letter and resume 
• Volunteer and internship details: http://www.portdiscovery.org/support/volunteer 

-----------

The Mont Clare Museum House  is located in southwest Baltimore and offers academic internships in the summer or school year for undergrad and grad students.

Internship and Application Information:

• Undergrad and grad students
• Academic credit can be arranged
• Unpaid
• Possible Departments:
• Collecions
• Record Management
• Museum interpretation
• Summer or School year
• Resume and application can be submitted via email

----------

The American Visionary Art Museum specializes in outsider, avant-garde, and pop art. It offers volunteer and docent opportunities, with more information here: http://www.avam.org/get-involved-now/volunteer.shtml

-----------

The B&O Railroad Museum focuses on train and railroad history and paraphernalia. Volunteer opportunities are listed here: http://www.borail.org/BO-Volunteer.aspx

----------

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture lists internship opportunities here when available: http://www.lewismuseum.org/about/careers

----------

The Edgar Allen Poe House offers volunteer opportunities, including docent positions, listed here: http://www.poeinbaltimore.org/volunteer/

---------

Other Museums in Baltimore:

• Babe Ruth Birthplace and Sports Legends Museum: http://baberuthmuseum.org/
• Historic Ships in Baltimore: http://www.historicships.org/employment.html
• Geppi's Entertainment Museum: http://www.geppismuseum.com/Home/7/1/52/500
• Star-Spangled Banner Flag House: (also an event venue) http://baltimore.org/info/star-spangled-banner-flag-house
• Jewish Museum of Maryland: http://jewishmuseummd.org/

Baltimore Museum of Art, MD Internships

The Baltimore Museum of Art is located in downtown Baltimore and features works of art from a variety of times and global cultures. They offer internships in different areas of museum work. Employees are required to pass a security clearance and drug test.

Internship opportunities: 

• Open to undergrads and grad students as well as recent graduates
• Learn about museum work and be guided by a mentor
• Department/Fields of Work:
• Visitor Services
• Graphic Design
• Contemporary Curatorial
• Archival and Special Projects Grants
• Exhibition Graphics
• Grant Statistics
• Marketing and Communications
• Textiles Curatorial
• Internship listings are posted seasonally on website
• Can apply for up to two positions
• Typically unpaid

Application information:

• Summer due date: Late April
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Unofficial transcript
• Reference Letter

---

Volunteer opportunities in a variety of departments, including education, textiles, and visitor services, (all very involved and hands-on) are listed here: https://artbma.org/about/volunteer.html 

Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore Internships and Fellowship

The Walters Art Museum in downtown Baltimore, Maryland holds a variety of mediums of art and historic artifacts, dating back to Ancient Egypt and Rome, encompassing an intriguing collection representing a menagerie of cultures around the globe. They offer opportunities for students and scholars interested in the arts, including revolving fellowships and internships.

Internship information:

• Open to undergrad and grad students
• Credit can be arranged with your college
• Background check will be performed before employment
• Equal opportunity employer
• Gain knowledge of museum work
• Departments/Fields of Work: varies from season to season, but some past ones that have been offered include:
• Rare Books and Manuscripts
• Education & Art Education
• Studio Art
• Public Relations
• Copyright
• Asian and Islamic Art
• More information on the latest opportunities here

Application Information:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• 2 Letters of Reference (for certain internships)
• Online/email submission

Check here for updated internship listings from season to season.

------

Fellowship Opportunities:

• Robert and Nancy Hall Fellowship: undergrad and grad students at Johns Hopkins
• Curatorial Fellowship for advanced Johns Hopkins University grad students
• Two postdoctoral curatorial fellowships (2-3 years; completed Ph.D.)
• Conservation fellowship for recent conservation master's graduate

Information taken from the Walters Gallery website and up-to-date as of 5/5/2017. Always check the institution's website for current information.

Longwood Gardens, PA Internships

Longwood Gardens, a large garden and nature center in eastern Pennsylvania (near DE), has a large variety of student internships in garden and landscape fields as well as management, education, visitor services, and library work. These seem like incredible programs, featuring stipends and housing. There is also an international student intern program and a UK student program. Due dates are in February for the summer and May for the fall.

Internship Information:

• 3-12 months (some specific opportunities are mandatory 12 months)
• All current college students or graduated within a year
• Must be legally able to work in America
• Must hold valid US driver's license
• Internship departments:
• Arboriculture
• Conservatory Management
• Display Design (12 month)
• Education
• Greenhouse Production
• Guest Engagement & Visitor Programs
• Horticulture Research
• Integrated Pest Management (12 month)
• Library (12 month, grad student or recent graduate of MLS program)
• Marketing & PR (12 months)
• Natural Lands Management (6 to 12 month)
• Nursery Management
• Outdoor Display
• Performing Arts (12 month)
• Plants Record Management (12 month)
• Turf Management 
• Rotational Summer Public Horticulture
• Housing provided (in historic houses!)
• $9.50/hour stipend (40 hour/week requirement)
• Student gardens, furnishings and utilities in houses, and other benefits
• Medical insurance available

Application Information:

• Summer due date: February 1
• Fall due date: May 1
• Application, resume, official transcripts, statement of intents, reference letter
• 2.5 GPA minimum

International Internship Program:

• Open to students enrolled in a college outside the US or recently gradauted
• One year of work in related field
• Areas of work:
• Ornamental Horticulture
• Education
• Library Science
• Marketing & PR
• Program for UK horticulture students and graduates with a possible scholarship (due date June 15)
• Housing available

Online Learning Opportunities in gardening, landscapes, horticulture.

Historic Lewes, DE Summer Internship Program

Lewes, Delaware's incredible historical society offers a few internship programs each summer for students interested in a career in the public history field, including stipend-backed opportunities! The application process is rigorous, so if you're interested in one of these excellent internships, be sure to get started early!

Link to informational page: https://www.historiclewes.org/

Internship Opportunities:

• Typically 10 weeks
• Some summers a $1,500 stipend is offered
• Public History: allows students interested in a public history career in a small museum setting to get a sense of the different types of work within the fields
• Living space provided if needed
• Cycle through education, development, collections, marketing, and administrative work in approximately two-week periods to get a feel for the variety of disciplines
• Complete small-scale projects 
• Write and present paper documenting experience
• Collections and Research: 
• 10 week program in 2 sections: cataloging and care (#1) and fieldwork and research (#2)
• Write and present paper on experience
• Education and Visitor Services:
• experience with programming, volunteer training, tour development, etc.
• present a paper documenting experiences 

Application Process:

• By mail only with all documents together
• Application
• Two letters of reference
• Sealed official transcript (unofficial okay for non-stipend)
• Resume or CV
• One-page statement of interest

Typically due in early March.

Information last updated 5/18/17. Always check the organization's website for the most recent information.