The NAU Art Museums is now accepting applications for internships in Collections Management for spring semester 2024!
About the NAU Art Museums:
Our internship program gives students interested in a museum career meaningful, real-world experience working with museum professionals on the Flagstaff campus of Northern Arizona University. The Art Museums feature the Margaret Hettel Weiss Museum with a permanent collection containing historical artifacts and art and the Clara M. Lovett Museum which exhibits contemporary works. As cultural leaders in northern Arizona, the Art Museums emphasize the diversity of voices found in both the past and present and as part of a teaching institution, serve our local communities through exhibitions, events, and educational programs. Interns enrich our museums through their enthusiasm and new perspectives on how we fulfill our mission and develop impactful relationships in the museums, on campus, and with our community. We recognize our community is enriched through collaboration and inclusion and encourage students of all races, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender expressions to apply for internship opportunities in the Art Museums.
- All internships are part-time and unpaid.
- Students may earn credit hours for their degree through their major or minor department.
- Internships are typically only available during the fall and spring semesters. If you are interested in a summer internship, contact Ty Miller to discuss the possibility.
- Internships are available to students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program with a major, minor, or focus in one of the following fields: art history, anthropology, history, public humanities, museum studies, art education, or studio art.
- Schedules are flexible to meet the needs of the student and the department but require a time commitment:
1 credit hour per semester = 3 hours per week (45 hours semester total)
2 credit hours per semester = 6 hours per week (90 hours semester total)
3 credit hours per semester = 9 hours per week (135 hours semester total)
Program Description:
The Spring 2024 Collections Management Internship is an unpaid internship opportunity for students interested in a career in collections management. The internship is available to students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program with a major, minor, or focus in one of the following fields: art history, anthropology, museum studies, conservation, or library and information science. The internship is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in the care and preservation of museum collections.
Interns will work under the supervision of the Collections Manager and will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of aspects of collections management, including:
- Cataloging and accessioning objects
- Conserving objects
- Researching objects
- Exhibiting objects
- Interpreting objects for the public
Interns may also participate in a variety of special projects, such as:
- Maintaining and developing a collection database
- Creating a new conservation treatment plan
- Researching the history of a particular collection
- Designing an interactive exhibit
The 2024 Collections Management Internship is a great opportunity for students to gain valuable experience in the field of collections management and to make a positive impact on the NAU Art Museums.
Application Process:
Submit the following documents to Ty Miller, Senior Curator, NAU Art Museums, via email at ty.miller@nau.edu.
Please include all of the following:
- Cover letter describing your interest in the internship, reasons for wanting to work at the Art Museum, desired learning outcomes for the internship, and a summary of your qualifications.
- Resume
- Sample of your work: this may be a writing sample from a research paper, digital collection, or digital exhibit.
Once we receive your internship packet, we will send you an email with an application and a request for hours of availability. After we receive these items, your internship packet will be completed and then under review.