Curatorial- Decorative Arts Internship – New York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society is seeking a qualified decorative arts curatorial research intern to assist with upcoming exhibition and collections research. Research will include object-based investigations related to the museum’s decorative arts and material culture collections. The ideal candidate should have a good general knowledge of 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century primary sources and relevant databases, and be familiar with the decorative arts and material culture of those periods. Research will be conducted remotely, but may include visits to the Historical Society’s library and other libraries and museums located throughout New York City. Interns will get experience in the research phase of exhibition planning, using TMS (The Museum System collections database), and gain proficiency with a variety of document types and sources. The intern will work closely with Debra Schmidt Bach, Ph.D., Curator of Decorative Arts.

This internship may be completed for credit or stipend.

Candidates should be enrolled in a graduate program in American social, design, or material culture history.

To apply, the following must be submitted:

• A cover letter indicating in which position/department you are interested
• A resume
• 5-10 page writing sample*
• 2 letters of recommendation (one must be from a professor)

*It is important to read the individual job descriptions as some departments require other materials in lieu of the research paper.

Please note: Applications that are not complete and submitted by the appropriate deadline (including two letters of recommendation) will not be accepted. Applicants being considered for the internship will be contacted for an interview.

If you plan to complete the internship that you are applying to for credit, you must submit written confirmation from your college stating that you will receive credit for hours completed.