Summer Internships

Summer 2025 Call for Applications

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for one of the following eight-week summer internships at the Princeton University Art Museum.

Summer Internship at the Princeton University Art Museum
Museum Voices Internship at the Princeton University Art Museum

Summer Internships at the Princeton University Art Museum

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for an eight-week summer internship at the Princeton University Art Museum. The 2025 summer internship program will run from Monday, June 2, to Friday, July 25. Undergraduate students enrolled in any accredited college or university program and graduate students enrolled in any accredited post-baccalaureate program are eligible to apply. Princeton University students are given priority.

Participants in the program will have the opportunity to intern in one of several departments, including curatorial, education, and information technology. Based on the available internship opportunities listed below, summer applicants should select ONE opportunity in their application; however, the Museum cannot guarantee that applicants will be offered an internship in their preferred department.

Interns are selected on the basis of their experience, academic training, and existing skills. Most interns will have the opportunity to learn about collections research firsthand.

Summer 2025 Opportunities

Ancient Mediterranean Art: With the curator, the intern will research the provenance of works in the collections and provide research assistance for upcoming exhibitions and projects. Research skills are necessary, and a background in Greek and Roman art and knowledge of ancient Greek or Latin are preferred.

Photography: The intern will assist with a variety of research and writing projects, including provenance research on works in the collections and acquisition reports for new additions to the collections. Graduate student or undergraduate with exceptional writing skills preferred.

Princeton University Preparatory Program Teaching Assistant and Museum Education Internship (two positions available):

This internship position has joint responsibilities as a Teaching Assistant for the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP) and assisting in the Art Museum’s Education Department. Two positions available.

PUPP is a highly engaged, holistic college preparation and success initiative that fosters the development of students who have been historically marginalized. PUPP partners with five schools from our local region: Ewing, Princeton, Trenton, Lawrence, and Nottingham High Schools. This internship includes serving as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for PUPP’s art courses during the 2025 PUPP Summer Institute.

The PUPP Summer Institute offers robust academic courses ranging from literature and writing to college preparation, math, art, sociology, and laboratory science. Courses are taught by master teachers from the region. Additional activities include an overnight leadership retreat, college visits, and trips to museums and cultural institutions.

Art Teaching Assistant (TA) Responsibilities: Art TAs support the Art Studio course offered to all three PUPP cohorts each summer. The course is taught by a lead teacher with significant support from the Art TAs and additional support from cohort TAs who work more broadly with PUPP in the summer. Art TAs help develop and deliver curriculum in the Art Studio course which include demonstrations and classroom leadership, as well as delivering brief lectures on artists and projects. The Art TAs also work in collaboration with the Art Teacher and Art Museum supervisor to plan and execute the Art excursion day to a local or regional arts institution. The Art TAs play a crucial role with the students, balancing a fine line between mentor and teacher/leader. Some weekend and evening work required.

Museum Education Responsibilities: This position will also work with the Museum’s Education department providing support for summer programs, K-12, and adult engagement programs, and special projects.

SKILLS REQUIRED: Strong candidates for the position should:

possess and model strong academic, organizational, and communication skills

be competent in art history and studio art

have an interest in museums

be energetic, self-motivated, flexible, and enjoy working with teenagers

be organized, effective task managers

be adaptable problem-solvers who can respond quickly in a dynamic work environment

An interest in art/museum education, urban education, and/or college access for underrepresented students is a definite plus.

Prints and Drawings: The intern will participate in research, including provenance research, on prints and drawings from the collection, primarily European and American works dating from around 1500 to the present. In addition, there will be an opportunity to participate in research for upcoming gallery rotations and exhibitions in the new Museum. Graduate student in art history or a related field, with reading knowledge of one European language, preferred.

Provenance Research: The intern will assist with provenance research across the Museum’s collections, including the collections of the Ancient Mediterranean, Ancient Americas, and indigenous art. Research will focus on reconstructing histories of object ownership, collecting, and the art market, as well as due diligence relating to new acquisitions, and efforts to increase digital access to provenance data. Graduate student in art history or a related field, with knowledge of German, French, Italian, or Spanish preferred.

Internship Program

The summer internship is a project-based learning experience. In addition to departmental responsibilities, interns receive a broad introduction to the Princeton University Art Museum’s collections and to the museum field through a five-day orientation program and weekly discussions with Museum staff.

Eligibility

Undergraduate students enrolled in any accredited college or university program and graduate students enrolled in any accredited post-baccalaureate program are eligible to apply. While previous academic-year interns are eligible for a summer internship, previous summer interns are not eligible to apply. Princeton University students are given priority.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Dates and Compensation

The 2025 program will run from Monday, June 2, to Friday, July 25. Please note that the PUPP/Museum Education Internship will run from Monday, June 2, to Friday, August 8.

The Museum will offer on-campus housing and a meal plan to all interns.
Undergraduates will be given a total award package of $10,687 (this includes a stipend of $6,711, on-campus housing, and a meal plan). Please note that the entire award package is considered taxable income. (Undergraduates usually participate 36.25 hours per week during their internship, and the stipend is paid in two installments).
Graduates will be given a total award package of up to $12,775 (this includes a stipend of $8,799, on-campus housing, and a meal plan). Please note that the entire award package is considered taxable income. (Graduate students can work up to 36.25 hours per week depending on their institution’s funding restrictions and the Museum’s budgetary restrictions. The stipend is paid in two installments).

How to Apply

Applications must include: a cover letter describing the applicant’s specific interest in the internship program, including the internship(s) of interest; academic and life experience that prepares the applicant for this program; and how a museum internship relates to the applicant’s larger educational or career goals. Applicants must also include a CV or résumé, at least one letter of academic recommendation, and an official academic transcript. The deadline for receipt of all materials is 8:00 p.m. eastern standard time (EST) on Friday, February 7, 2025. Please submit ALL materials electronically to PUAMint@princeton.edu.

Applicants may be contacted for interviews. Accepted applicants will be notified in early April. For additional questions, see our FAQs.

With Thanks

Summer internships are made possible, in part, by generous support from the Anne C. Sherrerd, Graduate School Class of 1987, Art Museum Fund, the Frelinghuysen Foundation, and the Joseph F. McCrindle Art Museum Internship Fund.

Museum Voices Internships at the Princeton University Art Museum

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for the Museum Voices Internship at the Princeton University Art Museum. As part of the Museum’s general summer internship program, the 2025 Museum Voices internships will run for eight weeks from Monday, June 2, to Friday, July 25. All students, both undergraduate and graduate, currently enrolled in accredited college or university programs in any discipline are eligible to apply. Princeton University students, first-generation/low-income students, and students with racial and ethnic identities underrepresented in the art museum industry are encouraged to apply.

Interns have the opportunity to intern in one of several departments, including curatorial, education, and information technology. Based on the available internship positions listed below, summer applicants should select ONE internship in their application; however, the Museum cannot guarantee that applicants will be offered a position in their preferred department.