Applications are now open for summer 2026 internship positions! Applications are due by February 27.
Please scroll down for eligibility requirements, application instructions, and open positions.
Internships at the NC Museum of History
Thank you for your interest in the museum’s internship program! Museum interns provide much-needed support and assistance with projects across multiple sections, including Curation, Collections, Education, Marketing, and more! Interns allow the museum to better connect with the community while students learn valuable behind-the-scenes skills in the process.
As the museum embarks on a multiyear renovation process, staff expect that interns will play a vital role in the research and development of exhibits and educational programming for the new museum. Interns also participate in enrichment excursions to other local museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions. They also can network with museum professionals in diverse roles.
Internships are posted regularly for the fall and spring semesters, as well as each summer. Summer internships generally start mid-May and conclude in August, but position length may vary depending on the needs of both the supervisor and the intern.
Please see below for current opportunities, eligibility requirements, and application instructions.
Only currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply for museum internship positions and interns must be currently enrolled while completing the internship.
Eligibility Requirements
Details on our program vary by semester, but please see below for some basic requirements applicable to most positions.
- Undergraduate applicants must have at least completed their first year of college before beginning an internship.
- Undergraduates must have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Graduate students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- The number of hours the intern is expected to work vary depending on the project and the requirements of the student's academic program. Depending on the specific position, internship hours may be completed by working virtually, on-site at the museum, or a combination of both.
- Internships at the North Carolina Museum of History are unpaid, volunteer positions.
General Application Instructions:
To be considered for an internship, please submit a completed application form, resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcripts from all colleges/universities attended to Internship Coordinator Kathleen Gleditsch at Kathleen.Gleditsch@dncr.nc.gov. Any additional materials required for an application to a specific position should also be emailed to Kathleen. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.
Curation Section:
Exhibition Research and Content Development Internship
Overview
The curation section is responsible primarily for the collection of artifacts, stewardship of community and artifact donor relationships, and development of exhibitions. The museum closed to the public in October 2024, and during the forthcoming months/years of the museum’s closure, museum curators are working with outside design consultants on the renovation and reinterpretation of the museum’s permanent exhibitions. The largest of those projects is the redevelopment of what was in the past called the Story of North Carolina, a chronological exhibition that covers more than 16,000 years of the state’s history, from 14,000 BCE to the present. This exhibit will include stories and time periods that have not been interpreted at length in the museum’s previous permanent exhibition. The curation intern will work closely with one of the lead curators of the chronological exhibition to research stories to highlight in the exhibit and identify related potential exhibit content. Interns will gain experience learning the process of exhibition development, becoming familiar with exhibit research skills and identifying exhibit content.
Projects
The intern will assist with projects such as:
- Primary and secondary research on specific periods, events, and moments of North Carolina history
- Identification of potential exhibit content including images, audio, video/film, data, maps, historical quotes, interviews, oral histories, and more
- Optional participation in weekly exhibit team meetings
The intern must:
- Have excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail
- Be proficient in historical research, including navigating primary and secondary sources
- Have demonstrated experience with navigating institutional archives
- Have experience or familiarity with public history, museum studies, archaeology, or a related field
- Be interested in learning about museum curation and exhibition development
- Be able to work well independently and collaborate as part of a team
- Be proficient in computer programs like Microsoft Word and Excel
Time Commitment
This is a 10-15 hour per week, 8–10-week unpaid internship that will be a hybrid, primarily off-site position, after a period of in-person orientation at the museum’s temporary office location in Raleigh. Hours are flexible, although attendance at regular weekly team meetings is encouraged.
Questions?
Contact Internship Coordinator Kathy Gleditsch at kathleen.gleditsch@dncr.nc.gov.