Internship & Student Employee Opportunities

Iowa State Students!

Explore careers in the museum field with internships and student employee opportunities while gaining professional museum experience.

Students applying for an internship, fellowship, or to be a student employee must be currently enrolled at Iowa State University.

Applications for Summer and Fall 2025 internships are now closed

Click an area of focus below to learn more about that internship.

Internships

Education
- Understand the role of education and research in the museum field
- Develop, implement, and elevate educational programming
- Gain knowledge of audience development through educational techniques
- Gain insight into exhibition installations that utilize educational experiences
Research
- Understand the importance of research in the museum field
- Research objects in preparation for future exhibitions
Collections Management
- Proper handling of objects.
- Understand the importance of collection management in the museum field.
- Gain knowledge of proper object documentation, photography, and research.
- Assist with processing incoming acquisitions.
- Gain insight into loaned/permanent exhibition and installation.
- Learn to operate in a collection management database (The Museum System, TMS).
Curatorial
- Understand the importance of object and collection research in the museum field
- Gain knowledge of key curatorial components - education, research, documentation
- Gain insight into exhibition installation & permanent collection installation of Art on Campus
Farm House Museum
- Understand all aspects of daily Farm House Museum operations
- Gain knowledge in the care and development of collections and collection-based research
- Gain insight into exhibitions and work as a team member to develop integrated curatorial and educational programming and other learning opportunities
Anderson Sculpture Garden
- Gain practical hands-on experience maintaining the University Museums' sculpture garden.
- Work with museum staff to plant and maintain the garden.
- Assist with the care of objects in the garden and the wider Art on Campus Collection.
Art on Campus
- Inventory and condition report public works of art around campus
- Database management with The Museum System (TMS)
- Assist in exhibition installations
- Research objects and artists
  - Write object texts and didactic labels
- Assist with care and cleaning of the Art on Campus Collection
Public Relations
- Understand the importance of public relations in the museum field.
- Student centered marketing and outreach.
- Social Media, metrics analysis, event attendance recruitment, photography, short form videos, website.
- Some community marketing.
- Possible areas of practice include:
  -Brand management, campaigns, social media, website maintenance, marketing
  -Video, graphic design, layout, photography, audio/video tech support
  -Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere, Express)
This internship qualifies for the JLMC 300-hr requirement.
Lynette L. Pohlman Museum Fellowship (separate application)
- Gain hands-on experience in a museum setting
- Enrich your academic experience
- Broaden your understanding of:
  - Museums administration,
  - Art, art history, cultural arts, and the relevant role of museums in the lives of citizens
  - Capital projects
  - Strategic planning and fiscal management for museums
- Assist curators and staff on exhibitions, collections, programs, and special projects
- Participate in museums field professional development
- Fellows are matched with a museum staff mentor
Click here for more information and to apply for the Pohlman Fellowship

University Museums internships and student employee opportunities are generously funded by John H. Maves (education and research), Margaret Davidson (collections management, curatorial, and public relations), Richard Taylor (education), and by Dr. Long in honor of Wayne and Eleanor Ostendorf (Farm House Museum).