The Whitney’s summer internship program is a full-time, paid, nine-week session primarily for undergraduate students.
The program includes training, direct work experience, professional development, and a weekly speaker series.
The 2026 Summer internship will be hybrid, meaning interns will work onsite at least three days per week.
The program will begin on Monday, June 1, and end on Friday, July 31.
Participants must be available Monday through Friday for nine consecutive weeks, five days per week. The application window for our Summer 2026 Hearst Family Internship is now open through Friday, January 16th .
Please note that all candidates will be considered on a rolling basis , and as such, some opportunities may close before the deadline. The Whitney seeks a Research Resources :
Expected Projects & Assignments Assist Museum staff, interns, and outside researchers with research inquiries Assist with collection information and data fact-checking, as needed Assist with reviewing and revising the museum’s Content Standard Element Sets (CSES) Data entry, including assigning descriptive subject terms to permanent collection object records, and entering provenance data, into TMS Draft and enter published reference citations into TMS Draft and send Object Questionnaires for artworks in the collection Assist with creating an inventory of historic Museum records for transfer to Archives Organization of primary source documents and filing Skills & Qualifications Sharp attention to detail Ability to work independently Interest in modern and contemporary American art and museum work Knowledge of cataloguing standards and experience using TMS is a plus, but is not required Provided Training Experience using TMS collection management system Experience using Chicago Manual Style citations to create bibliographic references Experience handling and digitizing historic photographic materials (slides, transparencies, photographs) Research and reference skills specific to working with primary source materials Guidance in applying to jobs or other opportunities using field-specific language Outcomes First-hand experience in multiple areas related to the management of permanent collection information, data, and records in a museum setting Strong knowledge and experience creating bibliographic citations and references An understanding of how the Whitney’s permanent collection documents foster unique areas of inquiry and support the recorded history of the museum’s collection Technical skills in collection information management and documentation Compensation Interns will be paid a stipend of $6,500 for full participation. Generous support for Hearst Summer Interns is provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.
Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role. About the Whitney :
Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today. EEO Statement :
The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.
Research Summer 2026 • New York City, NY, US