As we start our second full year of the Museology program’s paid internship pilot, we would like to thank all of our partner organizations that have made this work possible. Together, we are working towards a more dynamic, inclusive, and equitable museum field. Our pilot program currently works with 25 local organizations to host paid internships for Museology students, each of whom is eligible for up to 180 hours paid.
Through this paid internship program, the Museology program hopes to be able to build capacity for paid internships in the museum field while supporting students’ professional development. The role of unpaid internships in the museum field, and in the professional world more broadly, has been a subject of growing concern over the last few years. The expectation of working an internship without pay can dissuade students from entering the field, especially students of lower socioeconomic status. This limits the diversity of the museum field and perpetuates inequities.
We have partnered with several local museums and cultural institutions to offer our students paid internships throughout the Seattle area. These organizations offer our students meaningful hands-on learning experiences that help them develop professional skills and cultivate an understanding of their future in the museum field, without having to weigh the costs of internships versus another paid job less aligned with their career goals.
This past Friday, Museology students got to meet representatives from 27 local institutions at our annual Internship Fair. The fair is a great opportunity for students to connect with our local museum community and find out ways to get involved. We are excited to continue our partnerships with these excellent institutions, this year and for the foreseeable future!
Our current paid internship partner organizations include:
- Bainbridge Island Historical Museum
- Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
- Bellevue Arts Museum
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
- COCA
- Densho
- Edmonds Historical Museum
- Henry Art Gallery
- Holocaust Center for Humanity
- Japanese Cultural & Community Center of WA
- Kids Discovery Museum
- King Street Station – Seattle Arts and Culture
- Lewis Army Museum
- MoPOP
- Neely Mansion
- National Nordic Museum
- Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society
- Renton History Museum
- Seattle Aquarium
- Seattle Architecture Foundation
- Seattle Art Museum
- Southwest Seattle Historical Society
- UW Libraries, Special Collections
- Woodland Park Zoo
- ZINC Contemporary
Go to the Host an Intern page to apply to be a paid internship host site.