Peabody Essex Museum Internships and Fellowships (Massachusetts)

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts is a one-of-a-kind medium-sized institution dedicated to interpreting American, Native American, Maritime, and Asian art, architecture, and textiles. The collection began with the souvenirs of New England sea captains and has expanded into an impressive array of art and photography in a state-of-the-art exhibit space. Public programming abounds, including an Art and Nature Center designed to be family-friendly. An extensive internship program is offered for students hoping to enter the museum field and seeking to get concrete project-based experience. Fellowship opportunities for professionals and graduate students of Native American, Alaskan, and Hawaiian background are also offered.

Internship Information:

• Project-based experience
• Professional development opportunities
• Volunteer
• Flexible hours
• Open to undergrad and grad students
• Departments:
• Art & Nature Center (education, exhibits, programming)
• Connected Learning (Education - art focus) - grad student preferrence
• Creative Engagement (events, programming)
• Curatorial/Exhibitions and Research
• Curatorial: Photography Collection - graduate student
• Design Intern/Creative Series (graphic design)
• Development
• Development: Events
• Executive Office (administrative)
• Exhibition Research and Publishing Rights (including experience developing books)
• Exhibition Research and Publishing Editorial Intern (writing, communications)
• Marketing
• Merchandising/Museum Shop
• Fall semester applications are due August 1
• Check the website for due dates for other semesters
• Application, cover letter, resume submitted via email or by mail
• More info here

Fellowship Information:

A Native American Fellowship is offered to graduate students and cultural professionals of Native American, Alaskan, and Hawaiian background. It is a paid, 10-week, full-time opportunity, with application information posted in January. A stipend, lodging, workshops, and travel expense coverage are offered and school credit can be arranged. More info here.

Amelia Island Museum of History Internships (Florida)

The Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach, Florida is a spoken-history museum, focused on story-telling and the interpretation of local heritage and history. It is a well-respected museum that offers creative, engaging programming, including docent-led tours of the museum and surrounding historic district and changing exhibits. The museum also runs an archive and welcomes researchers. Internships are offered for students and graduates interested in museum work and provides experience with the management of the museum...an excellent opportunity!

Internship Opportunities:

• Unpaid
• Open to undergrad, grad students and recent (within 12 months) graduates
• College credit may be arranged
• Summer, fall, winter
• 30-40 hours/week, 8-12 week period
• All interns will also gain experience:
• Interacting with board members
• Researching grants
• Attending management-level meetings
• Departments available to work in:
• Archival
• Education/Exhibits
• Marketing/Creative (Social Media, Design)
• Volunteer Management/Tours (interpretation)
• More information here

The museum has plenty of exciting volunteer opportunities, including work in archiving, leading tours, maintaining the building and grounds, visitor services, gardening, historic interpretation, etc. Learn more here!

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.

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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.)

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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

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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 

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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/

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.