The Museum’s internship program provides college juniors and seniors, recent graduates, graduate students, and beginning museum professionals with practical work experience and in-depth training in the museum profession. Working under the supervision of one of the Museum’s professional staff, interns contribute to timely projects, gain insight into the functions of individual departments, and learn about the Museum’s various collections, exhibitions, and programs for visitors. The Museum offers fall, spring, summer, and twelve-month internships. Fall and spring internships require a minimum commitment of two days per week (one day must be Tuesday) and are unpaid. Summer and twelve-month are full-time and provide a stipend.

The Department of Education organizes a weekly lecture series and training programs that enable interns to reflect on current issues and debates in the museum field. Interns meet with curators, educators and other key Museum staff who provide a broader understanding of the Museum’s mission, collections, and organizational systems. Curators give talks in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibitions, and visits to specific departments are arranged to familiarize interns with the spectrum of daily activities behind the scenes at MoMA. During the summer term, weekly lectures with the Museum’s professional staff are supplemented by field trips to other museums, galleries, foundations, corporate collections, private collections, alternative spaces, nonprofit organizations, and artists' studios. These visits provide interns with opportunities to examine the roles, functions, and activities of a wide range of art professionals and institutions. Summer and Twelve-Month interns can also choose to participate in a new lecturer program that provides training in researching, writing, and delivering a gallery talk to the general public. Participants take part in weekly two-hour sessions in which they learn about pedagogical approaches, present research and writing on works in the collections, and deliver mock tours to internship colleagues. After a comprehensive training program, select interns have the opportunity to deliver gallery talks to the general public during regular Museum hours.

The Museum encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines to apply. International applicants, who have not previously come to the United States on a J-1 training visa, are eligible and encouraged to apply.

How to Apply for the Internship Program

To download an application form, go to the application page. If you still have any questions after reviewing the application and reading the Frequently Asked Questions, please e-mail internships@moma.org.

Pictured above:
Twelve-Month and Summer Interns deliver public gallery talks at the Museum. Photo: Sara Bodinson