DMFAH Internship Program

Program Description

The DMFAH Internship Program is open to rising and current undergraduate students or recent college graduates. Our Fall program will run from August -November; Winter/Spring program from December - March; Summer program April - July.  Interns will be expected to complete 100 hours of work over those 14 weeks (8-14 hours per week). Scheduling is flexible, and shifts vary. To be a successful at DMFAH, interns should be engaged with their work, detail-oriented, inquisitive, and eager to work with peers and DMFAH staff.

DMFAH is a small museum and historical site, meaning we have a collaborative work environment where every member of our team can help out with another department's project when extra hands are needed. The positions listed below allow you to engage with the area you are most interested in, but it is not unlikely you may be asked to assist with a few tasks in other departments from time to time. Because of our collaborative work style, it is likely that every intern will be asked to help with larger museum events. While interns will report to the Museum Administration Assistant Intern and the Executive Director, they should also be willing to, on occasion, assist with tasks assigned by other staff. Time spent volunteering for events outside of your usual work hours will contribute to your total hours for the semester or summer.

Within your first week as a DMFAH intern, you will get a full orientation of all the exhibits on display, the collections, and the museum campus. Interns will stay up-to-date on all current exhibits and should be able to answer basic questions about the museum to visitors, respond to emails on behalf of the museum properly, and follow basic phone protocol (this information will be made available within the first week of work). By the end of your time as an intern, you will have gained significant professional experience that can be applied to any job in your future!

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Internship Positions

Visitor Services Associate (VSA)

A Visitor Services Associate is responsible for facilitating daily Visitor services at the DMFAH and ensuring that the visitor service experience is consistently outstanding. VSA’s are tasked with engaging with the public in order to provide an educational, safe and memorable experience at the DMFAH. VSA’s are also tasked with running the daily, frontline operations in a smooth and efficient manner per the instructions of the Visitors Service Supervisor and the Museum Administrative Services Intern.

Applicants for this position are typically interested in public relations, marketing, promotion, and/or media studies. VSA interns should be outgoing, detail-oriented, and adaptable.

Education Interpreters & Curriculum Builders (EICB)

Education Interpreters & Curriculum Builders (EICB) work to bring the Collections and Exhibition content to life for all ages through interactive educational curriculum units, as well as virtual and real classroom experiences. Museum educators at DMFAH are responsible for developing and carrying out all of the museum’s various education and public programs, e.g., lectures, family, community and school programs, etc. This position involves planning and presenting educational programs that enhance public understanding of the museum’s collections. EICB interns may contribute to educational research efforts, and may assist in the development and production of written educational materials and units. This may also involve the development and presentation of gallery talks, lectures, seminars, symposia, and other educational programs.

Applicants for this position are typically interested in educational programs, working with school-age children, and/or engaging with their communities. EICB interns should be creative, critical thinkers, and responsible.

Museum Collection Assistants (MCA)

The exhibits on display at the museum represent only a fraction of the total collection. Museum Collections Assistants interns are invited behind the scenes and are trained to provide assistance with the safekeeping of the museum’s collections and to ensure artifacts are correctly catalogued and properly housed. Interns may assist with cataloguing, processing inventory, and researching. Knowledge of the PastPerfect museum database software would be helpful but training can be provided. Experience or education in collections management methods is highly valued by museums across the country. Working with the collections is a delicate task that requires caution and patience; training for handling items in the collections can be provided. MCA Interns must follow all precautions and guidelines for handling materials to ensure the safety of the museum’s collections.

Applicants for this position are typically interested in art history, visual arts, and/or museum and curatorial studies. MCA interns should be creative, critical thinkers, and organized.

Museum Administrative Assistant Intern (MAAI)

The Museum Administrative Assistant Intern will oversee varied administrative and curatorial support to the Curatorial Department/ Project as well as the Executive Director. This position is available to individuals who have already completed at least one semester or summer as an intern with DMFAH. Reporting to the Executive Director, you will collaborate with team members, maintain the daily schedule and calendars, screen calls and visitors, coordinate travel arrangements, sort and screen mail, email, organize files/databases, perform some research, respond to inquiries, and serve as liaison to other museum departments, institutional and City partners, historians, fellows and resident participants.

Applicants for this position are typically interested in museum management and curatorial studies. MAAI should be leaders, critical thinkers, organized, and efficient in leading a team.