The Museum Seminar (MuSe) Internship Program at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Job Title: Intern
Job Status: Full-time (five days, thirty-five hours per week)
Duration: June 2–August 8, 2025
Location: New York, NY
Stipend: $24 per hour, plus $1,500 toward housing/travel to New York City (less applicable taxes and deductions)
Note: Met interns commit to being fully present and onsite for the duration of the internship. They are not permitted to take courses or hold additional jobs or internships that coincide with their scheduled Met internship work hours.
Components of MuSE:
Departmental Placement
Each intern is placed in one of the Museum’s departments under the supervision of a full-time staff member. The Met has over forty department areas that host interns from a wide variety of academic backgrounds with an interest in art and museums. For example, someone studying communications might apply to intern in our External Affairs Department. Art history and humanities students gain valuable experience not only in our curatorial departments, but also in areas like Publications, Education, or Development. Studio art, design, or photography majors have thrived in areas like Digital, Design, or Education. Our Department of Scientific Research often welcomes students with a strong background in science.
The Met Cloisters
Every summer a small group of interns is placed at The Met Cloisters to learn about art interpretation, educational programming, and visitor engagement at this unique site dedicated to medieval art. These interns work onsite at The Met Cloisters at least three days a week and participate fully in orientation and all other intern activities and programs at The Met Fifth Avenue. Cloisters interns do not need a background in medieval art or museum education, though an interest in both is a plus. If you would like to intern at The Met Cloisters, please select Cloisters Internship under the Education or Medieval Art placement areas on your application.
Learn about the possible internship placement areas at The Met.
Departmental placements change annually and depend upon available projects.
The Museum Seminar (MuSe) Series
Weekly seminars give interns an understanding of the many different kinds of work that occur at The Met, and how Museum professionals collaborate to plan and support the daily operations of one of the world’s largest museums. Through these weekly seminars, interns are connected to a community of Met staff, fellows, and other interns.
Public Engagement
During the first two weeks of the summer, interns participate in an intensive training period focused on best practices in museum teaching and public speaking. They learn how to talk with visitors about original works of art in a way that is relevant, engaging, and accessible. Interns then develop and lead tours or other programs that incorporate their own interests and offer the public an insider perspective on The Met and its collection.
Eligibility:
Open to:
- Current undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors
- Current graduate students
- Those who have recently graduated from an undergraduate or master’s-level graduate program within twelve months of the application deadline
- PhD students who have not yet achieved candidacy
Current and former Met interns: If you have been an undergraduate or graduate intern at The Met, you are eligible to apply for a ten-week internship provided you have not already completed twelve months or three semesters as an intern. Preference will be given to applicants who have not already had an undergraduate or graduate internship experience at The Met.
How to Apply:
Apply using the online application.
Application deadline: January 15, 2025, 5 pm (ET)
Notification: by the end of April 2025
If you need an access accommodation or have a question regarding available accommodations, or if you need this application in an alternative format to successfully submit your candidacy, please contact collegeprograms@metmuseum.org.
The application will ask you to select which internships interest you: a part-time internship, a MuSe Program ten-week internship, or a MuSe Program long-term internship. You may apply for any and all of these internships with the same application.
The application requires:
- Short essay responses
- An unofficial transcript
- A résumé describing any work or extracurricular experiences
- For Design Department candidates, a PDF portfolio or link to an online portfolio
- Two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a professor or instructor who knows you in an academic context
If you are unsure about how to write a résumé, we suggest you contact the career services center at your college or university for guidance.
Interviews
Interviews are required for finalists only. If you are selected as a finalist, we will contact you directly to set up a virtual interview.
Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions if you have general questions about the program, or register for one of our online information sessions to learn more about the program and application.
There is no fee to apply to any of the internships.
Please note: your recommendation letters must be submitted by the application deadline. We will not accept any applications, application materials, or recommendations after the deadline.