Summer Internships

Summer 2024 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 2024 summer internship program will run from Monday, June 3, to Friday, July 26. 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, development, information technology, marketing, collections services, publications, or retail and wholesale operations. 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 2024 Opportunities

Asian Art: The intern will participate in a variety of curatorial-led research projects including provenance research on works in the collections and projects that increase digital collections access. Graduate student with strong knowledge of an Asian language preferred.

Conservation (two opportunities available): From the Chief Conservator/Paintings Conservator and Associate Objects Conservator, the interns will learn preventive care, object examination, documentation, research, treatment, and/or outreach. All opportunities will be associated with the preparations for the Museum’s upcoming 2024 reinstallation in a new building on Princeton University’s campus. Please note that this summer internship is intended for students currently enrolled in a recognized graduate conservation program. The successful candidate(s) will possess good hand and communication skills and will have completed at least one year of graduate study before the start of the internship. Preference will be given to students specializing in either paintings conservation or objects conservation.

Museum Store: The intern will learn from the Store Manager how to research diverse contemporary artisans and how to create a proposal for new artisans that aligns with vision for new Museum merchandise.

Photography: The intern will participate in a variety of curatorial 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.

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

Princeton University Preparatory Program Teaching Assistant and Museum Education Internship (two positions available): This internship position has joint responsibilities serving as a Teaching Assistant for the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP) and participating in activities in the Art Museum’s Education Department.

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 2024 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 Responsibilities: Art TAs are assigned to 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 including 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 have the opportunity to learn from members of the Museum’s Education Department, participating in summer programs, K–12 and adult engagement programs, and special projects.

SKILLS REQUIRED: Strong candidates for the position should:

possess and be able to model strong academic, organizational, and communication skills
be competent in art history and studio art
have an interest in museum studies
be energetic, self-motivated, flexible, and enjoy working with teenagers
be organized, effective task managers
be adaptable problem-solvers who can respond quickly to a dynamic work environment

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

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 2024 program will run from Monday, June 3, to Friday, July 26. Undergraduates will be given a total award package of $10,128, which includes a stipend, on-campus housing, and a meal plan. Please note that the entire award package is considered taxable income. (Undergraduates usually participate 36-40 hours per week during their internship).

Graduate students will be paid approximately $22.00 per hour and will be offered on-campus housing and a meal plan. This compensation, housing, and meal-plan are all taxable. Graduate students can be part-time or full-time (depending on their institution’s funding restrictions as well as the Museum’s budgetary restrictions). Princeton graduate students are limited to a maximum of 10 hours per week. The Museum will offer on-campus housing to all interns. Housing will be provided from Sunday, June 2 (move-in), to Saturday, July 27 (move-out). Please note that we cannot provide housing outside of these dates.

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 9, 2024. 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 2024 Museum Voices internships will run for eight weeks from Monday, June 3, to Friday, July 26. 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, development, information technology, marketing, collections services, publications, or retail and wholesale operations. 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.