• Docents
• Department Volunteers
• Internships
• Paid Internships

Wonder what takes place beyond the galleries at a museum? Want to gain first-hand experience in the day-to-day operations of an arts organization? If so, apply for an internship at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA).

NMWA interns play an integral role in advancing the museum’s mission while gaining valuable work experience, exploring career options, and developing contacts with peers and museum professionals. In addition to providing an unbeatable work experience in an arts organization, NMWA offers its interns a chance to learn about women artists in its docent training classes college-level art history classes and/or through field trips to other cultural venues in Washington, D.C., and to earn academic credit through their school. The museum also provides interns with access to its galleries, Library and Research Center (LRC), and array of public programs for free or at reduced rates.

The museum offers fall, spring, and summer internships, ten to twelve weeks in length, to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates. One to two paid internships as well as multiple unpaid internships are available each term.

Departments that accept interns based on need include:

• Administration (Director’s Office and/or Founder’s Office)
• Communications and Marketing
• Curatorial
• Development
• Education
• Finance
• Graphic Design
• Information Technology
• Library and Research Center
• Member Services
• Publications
• Registrar
• Retail and Wholesale Operations
• Special Events

To read intern job descriptions for these departments, click here.

Applicants may not be assigned to their first choice as internships at NMWA are competitive and not all departments will accept interns each term.

Candidates for unpaid internships must have completed their sophomore year of undergraduate study, and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Full-time and part-time (at least two and a half days or twenty hours per week) internships can be arranged.

Applications for unpaid internships must include the following:

1. A cover letter, stating how a NMWA internship will further your personal and professional goals, indicating, in order of preference, at least three departments that most interest you, and sharing how you learned about NMWA's internship program.
2. A resume, including education and employment history as well as school and permanent addresses.
3. An official transcript from each college and/or university you have attended.
4. Two letters of recommendation.
5. A brief writing sample of one to two pages in length.

NOTE: If you are interested in being reviewed for both paid and unpaid internship opportunities, submit one application packet in triplicate and indicate in your cover letter for which internships you would like to be considered.

Deadlines
All applications must be postmarked by the following dates:
Summer Term: March 15
Fall Term: June 15
Spring Term: October 15

Please send completed applications in triplicate to:

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Manager of Public Programs
Education Department
1250 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005

Faxed or e-mailed application materials will not be accepted.

If you have any questions, please call 202-783-7982.