Undergraduate Music and Performing Arts Curatorial Internship

Collections That Care; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 17,000 - 21,000; Part time

Job summary

National Museum of African American History and Culture offers an Undergraduate Music and Performing Arts Curatorial Internship to gain hands-on experience in curatorial work, African American history, and culture. The role emphasizes research, object handling, and developing professional communication while supporting the curator and staff on collection documentation and exhibition planning.

Compensation is $425 per week, lasting January 25 to April 23, 2027, with a part-time schedule (20 hours

Qualifications

• Undergrad student or recent graduate with coursework or interest in African American history and culture.
• Interest in museum studies or related fields is a plus.
• Comfort with word processing and spreadsheets; familiarity with collection management systems is welcome.

Responsibilities

• Navigate TMS to locate and document collection records.
• Assist with handling and processing of objects and archival materials following standards.
• Assist with creating and reviewing collection inventories and documentation.
• Support researcher with donor briefs and curator's outreach efforts.
• Draft and edit collection and exhibition texts.

Skills

Research

Writing

Object documentation

Professional communication

Education

Undergraduate student

Tools

TMS (The Museum System)

Job description

Summary

The Undergraduate Music and Performing Arts Curatorial Internship is an opportunity to do meaningful curatorial work at one of the most prominent cultural institutions in the country building skills in African American collecting and cultural preservation while expanding professional networks. As part of NMAAHC’s commitment to strengthening the museum talent pipeline, this position is designed to support undergraduate students in gaining foundational knowledge and hands‑on experience, while introducing them to the many different career paths that curatorial work can open. The skills developed through this internship (research, writing, object documentation, and professional communication) directly support careers across a wide range of museum positions, including curatorial, collections, education, public programs, and outreach, as well as related fields such as archival work, cultural policy, and the broader nonprofit and public humanities sectors. By the end of the internship the intern will be able to:

• Navigate and use the TMS (The Museum System) collection information database to locate and support documentation of collection records;
• Assist with the handling and processing of objects and archival materials following professional conservation and preservation standards;
• Assist with the creation and review of collection inventories, contributing to the Museum’s collections stewardship goals;
• Support object research and assist with producing accurate collection documentation as directed by the curator;
• Research and prepare donor briefs and profiles that support the curator’s donor cultivation and community stewardship efforts;
• Assist with drafting and editing collection and exhibition texts;
• Assist with drafting object acquisition proposals using curatorial criteria and an understanding of the museum’s collecting priorities;
• Produce interpretive labels and an exhibition narrative for a proposed exhibition drawn from the NMAAHC Music & Performing Arts Collection, with support from the curator;
• Research and write an acquisition proposal with curatorial guidance and present it to the NMAAHC Collections Committee;
• Develop an understanding of museums as institutions of cultural stewardship and gain insight into theimportance of collecting and preservation through direct engagement with the collection and curatorial practice.

Key Details

Compensation: $425/week

Duration: January 25 – April 23, 2027

Schedule: PT (20 hours/week or less)

Deadline:October 15, 2026

Eligibility

The ideal candidate is an undergraduate student or recent graduate with coursework or a demonstrated interest in African American history and culture, with a focus on music, performing arts, popular culture, or museum studies. A genuine curiosity about Black history and culture and its relationship to music and the performing arts is essential. An interest in developing research and writing skills in a museum setting is important. Prior experience with curatorial or archival work is a plus but not required. Comfort with word processing and spreadsheet software is expected; experience with collection management systems is welcome but not necessary.

About

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the museum has collected more than 45,000 artifacts, and nearly 300,000 individuals have become members. The museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

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