Work with us
University Museums provides students with the opportunity to explore careers and gain professional experience in the museums business. Students must be currently enrolled at Iowa State University.
Internships and Student Jobs
Student internships
Vacancies are posted on CyHire in the fall & spring semesters
Lynette L. Pohlman Museum Fellowship
Vacancies are posted on CyHire in the spring semester
Areas of focus
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).
- 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
- Understand the importance of research in the museum field
- Research objects in preparation for future exhibitions
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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
This internship qualifies for the Greenlee School's JLMC 300-hr requirement.
- 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)
Fellowship applications are accepted in the spring semester.
- 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