Summer Internship Program

Note: All in-person National Air and Space Museum internships for summer 2020 have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A select number of internships will move forward as virtual internships. Interns who are selected for virtual internships will be contacted by the internship coordinator.

Our structured summer internship program provides firsthand experience working in a museum. It's a great introduction to museum work or an opportunity to expand on previous experience.

Each year, positions are available in areas such as aviation or space history, planetary science, exhibits,, communications, museum management, and education. Students from all fields of study are encouraged to apply.

During the 10-week program, each intern is assigned a supervisor and works on an internship project and other tasks. In addition to their projects, interns also frequently meet as a group for presentations, professional development opportunities, enrichment activities, and tours.

Fast Facts

Length: 10 weeks, full-time
2020 Dates: June 1 to August 7
Location: Washington, DC Metro Area 
Stipend: $5,500
2020 Application Dates: January 15 to February 17, 2020
Questions? Email: Fay-LukicJ@si.edu

Available Internships in 2020

This year's internship projects can be found below. Learn more about each project. You will indicate you top three projects on your SOLAA application. 

At the Museum in Washington DC:

  • Curatorial Internships
    • Military Aviation Research (Curatorial)
    • Military Space Systems Database (Curatorial)
    • Space History: Materializing Globalization (Curatorial)
  • Education Internships
    • Astronomy Education
    • Explainers Program (Education)
    • Family Day Programs (Education)
    • Middle School Programs (Education)
    • Lecture and Public Program Planning (Education)
    • Teacher Innovator Institute (Education)
  • Exhibits Internships
    • Exhibits Writer/Editor
    • Media Development for Exhibitions
    • Project Management
  • Museum Management And Operations Internships
    • Advancement and Fundraising
    • Human Resources (Shared Driver Organizer)
    • Logistics Department
    • Visitor Services
  • Planetary Research Internships
    • Runoff Production on Early Mars (Planetary Science)
    • Wind Features on Mars and Science Outreach (Planetary Science)
  • Registrar Internships
    • Registrar 
  • Strategic, Digital, And Visual Communications Internships
    • Communications and Digital
    • Server/Data Management for Video Production
    • Social Media for Educational Programs
    • Video Production
    • Web Accessibility and Inclusive Design

At the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia:

  • Archives Internships
    • Archives Collections Processing
  • Education Internships
    • Middle School Programs (Education)
    • SHE Can STEM Camp in Virginia (DC-Area) (Education)
  • Museum Management And Operations Internships
    • Visitor Services
  • Strategic, Digital, And Visual Communications Internships
    • Marketing at the Udvar-Hazy Center

At the Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland;

  • Collections Internships
    • Collections Processing

At other locations:

  • Education Internships
    • SHE Can STEM Camp in Bentonville, Arkansas (Education) (5 weeks only)

How to Apply

Applications are accepted through February 17. Interns will be notified of the status of their application by April.

The National Air and Space Museum Summer Internship Program application must be submitted via the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA). Complete applications must include:

  • Resume
  • A statement of purpose (500-1,000 words) indicating the type of internship you are interested in and how an internship will contribute to your education and career goals
  • Unofficial transcript
  • Two letters of recommendation

If you have questions about filling out the application, please see our SOLAA tips.

    FAQs

    Where does this internship take place?
    Many interns work at the Museum in Washington, DC, but others work at the nearby Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, or the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland, Maryland.

    When does the internship program take place?
    The 2020 Summer Internship Program will run from June 1 to August 7, 2020. Interns work full-time, 40 hours a week for 10 weeks.

    Are the dates flexible?
    We are happy to work with you to figure out a start and end date that work with your existing commitments and school schedule. However, a commitment of 10 weeks during the summer is required.

    Is there financial support for this internship?
    We provide a $5,500 stipend to help interns defray expenses. This stipend is administered in intervals during the internship period.

    Who can apply?
    To be considered for the Summer Internship Program, you must be a high school graduate and be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a degree-granting undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university. You are expected to have a strong academic record. Applicants from outside the U.S. are welcome! More information for international interns is available on the intern orientation website.

    What do I need to know to qualify for an internship?
    Internships are opportunities to learn and grow your skills. While you don't necessarily need work experience related to the internship you plan to apply for, you are expected to have a base knowledge of or familiarity with the subject (e.g. exhibits design interns will be expected to have familiarity with programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop).

    • Spirit of St. Louis Conservation

      2015 intern Chris Reddersen assists in conservation of the Spirit of St. Louis.

    • Education Outreach Interns

      Education Outreach interns Celeste Zabowski and Brendan Fay film for an episode of the webcast series “STEM in 30.”

    • Interns with NASA Astronaut

      2013 interns pose with NASA astronaut Thomas Marshburn.

    • Intern Farewell Lunch

      2015 interns gather for a group photo at the Farewell Lunch.

    • Jim Guyette Talks to Interns

      Retired Rolls-Royce North America CEO and Chairman of the National Air and Space Museum Board Jim Guyette talks to the 2014 interns about success.

    • Collections Intern

      2014 Collections intern Melissa Miller works with a model aircraft at the Paul E. Garber Center.

    • Interns Tour NASA Goddard

      2015 interns tour the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.