We don’t even know where to get started, for we’re a bit overwhelmed. The Smithsonian Institution has the most comprehensive internships website that we have ever come across. If you don’t already know, the Smithsonian is an institution that was founded by a gift from a British Scientist named James Smithson.
I then bequeath the whole of my property…to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge…
He had never been to America, so it’s quite puzzling that he made such a gift. Some people say it was his final swipe at the rigidities of British society. Since the gift was made to our federal government, the Smithsonian is a government institution (not a non-profit organization, like you might have thought it was). You will find the Smithsonian working in a wide variety of areas to increase the knowledge of the American people, and this means that they have internships in a jaw dropping number of fields.
The Smithsonian’s Internships site is nearly perfect. The only flaw is that it may give you a case of information overload. Instead of providing commentary, we’re going to highlight the important areas and let you do the exploring for yourselves. The Smithsonian allows students to browse all internships, paid internships, or internships by subject. The lists are long, so you may want to spend a few hours looking over all of the possibilities.
You’ll also want to take some time to look at the materials that the Smithsonian offers on housing and the Smithsonian experience (aka perks). If you really want to get a good look at what you’ll be doing at the Smithsonian and what life will be like, you can read over their Intern Orientation Guide. Once you find an internship you like, you probably should take a look at the Smithsonian’s guide on how to apply for internships with them. The Smithsonian also has a guidebook of Opportunities for Research and Study. This includes what seems to be the same information as the internships site, along with info on Fellowship Opportunities. We think this guide is just the web version of a printed book, but we’re not quite sure.
Didn’t we tell you the site was comprehensive? The links above (and below) should answer just about any question that you could have about interning at the Smithsonian. The general Smithsonian application deadlines are: February 15 for Summer Internships, July 15 for Fall Internships, and October 15 for Spring Internships. Some departments also take interns year round.
We wanted to provide you a little more guidance, so here is a list of areas that you can intern in at the Smithsonian. The process for applying and internship requirements may vary slightly by department, so be sure to look carefully at the individual internship descriptions.
Anacostia Community Museum
Architectural History and Historic Preservation
Archives of American Art
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum - New York City
Facilities Management and Reliability
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Horticulture Services Division
International Center
Museum Conservation Institute
National Air and Space Museum
National Museum of African Art
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of Natural History
National Portrait Gallery
National Postal Museum
National Zoological Park
Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs
Office of Exhibits Central
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Office of Policy and Analysis
Office of Public Affairs
Office of Sponsored Projects
Administrative or Accounting/Financial Internships in Grant/Contract Administration
Smithsonian Affiliations Office
Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian Associates
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Smithsonian Institution Retail
Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
Smithsonian Photographic Services
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Overwhelmed yet? Take your time and enjoy perusing the Smithsonian’s internship offerings.
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
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