Job Description

Museum Studies Internship Program: June 8 – July 31, 2026

Application deadline: Monday, February 9, 2026

The Museum Studies Internship Program introduces students to the inner workings of a major metropolitan museum, promoting an awareness of careers in the field through experiences not available in most academic settings. An internship with the Philadelphia Art Museum is an invaluable educational, professional, and personal experience. Through the internship program, interns develop an understanding of a professional workplace, receive one-on-one mentorship, learn practical skills, and participate in professional development sessions while networking with museum staff and peers. We welcome and encourage individuals of all cultural and academic backgrounds to apply. Ten students will be selected for the summer program taking place over eight weeks, from June 8 to July 31, 2026. Interns receive a stipend of $4,000 for living expenses.

Internship Format

The internship, which runs Monday–Friday over eight weeks, is made up of two parts.

• Departmental Placement: Following a careful review of their experiences as well as their professional and academic ambitions, interns are placed in specific departments, where they spend four days per week. Placements vary each year and over the MSIP’s 40+-year history, nearly every museum department has hosted an intern. Through this aspect of the program, interns develop an understanding of a professional workplace, learn practical skills, and receive one-on-one mentorship.
• Museum Studies Seminar: Roughly one day per week, interns participate in museum studies sessions, which include behind-the-scenes tours of the museum; presentations from professionals from across the institution; discussions of urgent issues confronting the museum field; site visits to cultural institutions in Philadelphia; and professional development workshops.

Eligibility Requirements

The Museum Studies Internship Program offers internships to applicants:

 

• From all cultural and academic backgrounds
• Who are currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, or have graduated after the Fall 2025 semester
• Who have completed at least their freshman year of college by the end of the Spring 2025 semester
• Who are eligible to work in the United States
• Who are committed to attending all program sessions

How to Apply

To be considered for the internship, submit your online application and PDFs of all required materials here by Monday, February 9, 2026. Applications must consist of each of the elements below. Additional materials will not be considered.

Required Application Materials

Application Form
Be sure to identify four areas of interest for internship placement (see the “Description of Past Intern Placements” section above for placement descriptions).

Statement of interest
Please limit the essay to no more than 750 words and be sure to address the following:

 

• Explain your interest in the museum field and what led you to apply for the Philadelphia Art Museum’s Museum Studies Internship Program. Describe, too, how the experience might contribute to your professional and intellectual growth.

 

• Describe how your specific interests, skill sets, and professional and/or academic experiences might relate to the departments(s) you have selected on the application form and explain how you will contribute to the Museum Studies Internship Program cohort.

Autobiographical Statement
The museum and the communities it serves comprise many different people and perspectives. In 300 words or less, describe how your background and personal experiences might inform an internship at PhAM.

Unofficial Transcript(s)

Letter of Recommendation
Applicants must have one confidential letter of recommendation submitted by past or current professors or academic advisors or a past or current employer who is familiar with your skills and abilities. Please submit contact information (name, email, and phone number) for one individual who will provide a letter on your behalf.  The letters of recommendation must be submitted via email to academicengagement@visitpham.org by the application deadline. The recommendation emails should clearly indicate the applicant’s name in the subject line and must come directly from the recommender’s email.
 

Job Tags

Summer work, Placement year, Monday to Friday, 1 day per week,

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