Volunteer Internships

Winterthur offers curriculum-based, staff-level internships to qualified college students, recent graduates, and graduate students. These internships are intensive educational and professional experiences that often offer academic credit. Interns work with professionals to develop job skills as well as to discover the inner workings of a major decorative arts institution. Interns receive staff-level training and participate in departmental staff meetings.

The following descriptions are designed to give a general overview of what an intern may experience in certain divisions and departments. The actual work that an intern completes may vary from the description below according to the needs of the museum and the requirements of the intern.

Internships are available in the following areas:

Curatorial Intern—will assist the curatorial staff. The project may include identifying and cataloguing collection objects, working with our collection inventory database, and assisting with curatorial projects. Candidate should be detail-oriented and have excellent computer skills and an art history background.

Conservation Intern—will work within the specific area of the lab (objects, textiles, paper, ceramics, paintings, furniture, and metal). Candidate should be detail-oriented and have excellent computer skills and a chemistry background. Projects will be assigned as needed by conservation staff.

Visitor Services Intern—summer intern will work with visitor services personnel to understand the behind-the-scenes preparation for a visitor’s experience at Winterthur. He/she will be exposed to the training process for interpreters and will trail several tours. Each intern will get an introduction to operations and processes of the Visitors Services Department, Volunteer Services Department, and some front-line work with visitors.

Library Research Intern—summer intern will assist with the processing of archival records and donations, digitization and metadata creation, and other library duties. A background in research is helpful, and computer experience is necessary.

Information Systems Intern—intern will assist information systems staff support the basic upkeep of the PC infrastructure at Winterthur. Projects will be assigned as needed. Proficiency in computer programming and/or computer design is necessary.

Registration Intern—college undergraduate and graduate student interns participate in a variety of departmental activities which may include inventory, object marking, electronic and paper records maintenance, condition reporting, and art handling. Please contact the Registrar's Office for information regarding current opportunities and application deadlines.

How to Apply

To apply please send your resume and a detailed cover letter indicating your specific interest in interning at Winterthur to the address listed below.

Margaret Jenkins
Volunteer Manager
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Winterthur, DE 19735
302.888.4784
mjenkins@winterthur.org