Careers in Museum

By Willy Franzen

Looking for an entry level job or internship in museum? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

Photo Credit: Flickr user zoetnet

There’s a museum for almost everything: art, science, math, history, people. If you love the history and culture of a particular subject and want to preserve it so other people can enjoy as much as you can, consider working in a museum.

You could work in museum administration and operations, including the communications, fundraising, and finance departments. Outside of museum administration, jobs include:

Archivist, Historian, or Librarian: Identify and catalogue records
Curator: Choose the items displayed in the museum
Museum Educator: Educate the public on the museum’s holdings
Conservator: Restore original documents and objects

A bachelor’s degree is required for almost all positions in a museum, along with strong communication skills and a love of the museum’s subject. A master’s degree in museum studies or a related field is required for some positions.

Displaying 1-10 of 38 results.

Supervisory Museum Curator (Assistant Director) Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC	View
Museum Guest Services Associate Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (MCHF) Triangle, VA	View
Managing Educator, Community Partnerships and Initiatives The Metropolitan Museum Of Art Arlington, VA	View
Museum Shop Manager Harvard University Washington, DC	View
Food Prep/Server - Holocaust Memorial Museum Cafe Guest Services Washington, DC	View
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park - Visitor Services Aide - Seasonal/Year-Round Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission Greenbelt, MD	View
Museum Shop Manager Harvard University Washington, DC	View
Retail Sales Photographer - Smithsonian Air & Space Museum Magic Memories Chantilly, VA	View
Volunteer Coordinator - Riversdale House Museum - Seasonal/Year-Round Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission Greenbelt, MD	View
Dishwasher - National Museum of the Marine Corps ARAMARK Triangle, VA	View

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Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Museum

MOCA - MOCA is the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and they are the only museum in L.A. that is entirely dedicated to contemporary art.

See the complete MOCA profile

Textile Society of America - Textile Society of America is a Berkeley, CA non-profit that “provides an international forum for the exchange and dissemination of information about textiles worldwide."

See the complete Textile Society of America profile

Old Sturbridge Village - Old Sturbridge Village is the “largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast” and it “depicts a rural New England town of the 1830s.”

See the complete Old Sturbridge Village profile

Bay Area Discovery Museum - The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a Sausalito, CA based museum that “is designed to ignite creative thinking in children.”

See the complete Bay Area Discovery Museum profile

Museum Hack - Museum Hack is a New York, NY based upstart that developed a “tour to turn one of New York’s most spectacular cultural institutions into a totally unique experience.”

See the complete Museum Hack profile

Brooklyn Museum - At over half a million square feet, Brooklyn Museum is “one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country.”

See the complete Brooklyn Museum profile

Poetry Foundation - The Poetry Foundation is a Chicago, IL based “independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture.”

See the complete Poetry Foundation profile

21c Museum Hotels - 21c Museum Hotels is a company based in Louisville, KY that operates hotels “born out of a desire to integrate contemporary art into everyday life.”

See the complete 21c Museum Hotels profile

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco - Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is a non-profit that runs two separate museums: the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park.

See the complete Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco profile

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum - The NYC based Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum promotes “the awareness and understanding of history, science and service" through collections and exhibitions.

See the complete Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum profile

The Tech Museum of Innovation - The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA is a "hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds."

See the complete The Tech Museum of Innovation profile

Museum of the City of New York - The Museum of the City of New York is a private, not-for-profit, educational institution founded in 1923 for the purpose of presenting the history of New York City.

See the complete Museum of the City of New York profile

Rubin Museum of Art - The Rubin Museum of Art in New York, NY "promotes understanding, and inspires personal connections to the ideas, cultures, and art of Himalayan Asia.”

See the complete Rubin Museum of Art profile

South Street Seaport Museum - The South Street Seaport Museum “is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of New York as a port city," and they're hiring.

See the complete South Street Seaport Museum profile

Children’s Creativity Museum - The Children’s Creativity Museum is a San Francisco, CA based “interactive art and technology museum for kids" that is all about creativity.

See the complete Children’s Creativity Museum profile

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The Museum of Mathematics - The Museum of Mathematics in New York, NY is opening in 4 months to be the only math museum in the United States.

See the complete The Museum of Mathematics profile

Historic New England - Historic New England is a non-profit that works to preserve and promote the appreciation of New England's history.

See the complete Historic New England profile

Exploratorium - The Exploratorium is a San Francisco, CA museum that focuses on art, science, and human perception, and they have some great job opportunities.

See the complete Exploratorium profile

Martha’s Vineyard Museum - The Martha's Vineyard Museum "is "dedicated to furthering an interest in the history and culture of the Island" and they're hiring.

See the complete Martha’s Vineyard Museum profile

Museum of Latin American Art - If you’re a big fan of Latin American art, you’ll probably want to take a look at MOLAA’s excellent job opportunities.

See the complete Museum of Latin American Art profile

New York Transit Museum - New York City's transit system is the best in the United States and its long history is on display at the New York Transit Museum, which is hiring.

See the complete New York Transit Museum profile

Chemical Heritage Foundation - The Chemical Heritage Foundation is all about fostering "an understanding of chemistry’s impact on society," and they offer some exciting job opportunities.

See the complete Chemical Heritage Foundation profile

Center for Puppetry Arts - Do you love puppets? If so, you might want to consider a career at the Center for Puppetry Arts.

See the complete Center for Puppetry Arts profile

Chicago History Museum - If you find that Chicago history speaks to you, then you’ll want to take a look at the Chicago History Museum’s Jobs page.

See the complete Chicago History Museum profile

Whitney Museum of American Art - If contemporary American art speaks to you, then you have to check out jobs at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

See the complete Whitney Museum of American Art profile

Nantucket Historical Association - If you love Nantucket's history, then a career with the Nantucket Historical Association might be exactly what you're looking for.

See the complete Nantucket Historical Association profile

Lower East Side Tenement Museum - If you want to be part of sharing the history of the immigrants who built this country, then take a look at Jobs at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.

See the complete Lower East Side Tenement Museum profile

Museum of Food and Drink - If you love the culture of food, a job with the Museum of Food and Drink would be a dream come true.

See the complete Museum of Food and Drink profile

Thomas Jefferson Foundation - If you don’t get lost in the excitement of reading up on Thomas Jefferson’s place in history, then a job at Monticello probably isn’t for you.

See the complete Thomas Jefferson Foundation profile

International Coalition of Sites of Conscience - If you're interested in the history of human rights and social justice, then you should check out Jobs at International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.

See the complete International Coalition of Sites of Conscience profile

National September 11 Memorial & Museum - If you were greatly affected by 9/11, then you should browse through the open positions at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

See the complete National September 11 Memorial & Museum profile

Hockey Hall of Fame - We’re not getting a lot done here today in Chicago with a parade going on, so I’m going to leave it to you to see if a job at the Hockey Hall of Fame is for you

See the complete Hockey Hall of Fame profile

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation - If you’d like to have a job giving money away (not Ed McMahon style though), then you should check out The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Jobs page on Idealist.

See the complete The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation profile

New York Hall of Science - If you’d like to work at the New York Hall of Science, then check out their Jobs page. Right now they're looking for a Visitor Services Assistant.

See the complete New York Hall of Science profile

Academy of Natural Sciences - The Academy is now approaching its 200th anniversary, and if you want to be able to celebrate it with them, you’ll want to take a look at their Jobs page.

See the complete Academy of Natural Sciences profile

International Center of Photography - If you love photography, but want to do more than just take pictures, then the International Center of Photography is a perfect place for you.

See the complete International Center of Photography profile

Minnesota Children’s Museum - But what about intellectually stimulating jobs for you? The Minnesota Children’s Museum Jobs page has those for you.

See the complete Minnesota Children’s Museum profile

National Building Museum - If you have a passion for buildings, then a job with National Building Museum will lay the perfect foundation for your career.

See the complete National Building Museum profile

National Archives - You can start learning about what it’s like to work at the National Archives by visiting their Careers page, and then you can check out their job listings.

See the complete National Archives profile

Museum of Science, Boston - If you were a nerdy kid like me who loved science and you want to share that passion with today’s kids, check out jobs at the Museum of Science, Boston.

See the complete Museum of Science, Boston profile

Pro Football Hall of Fame - Whether you're a football player or a job seeker, getting a place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame isn't easy.

See the complete Pro Football Hall of Fame profile

Boston Children’s Museum - Boston Children\'s Museum\'s Jobs page was updated just yesterday, and it includes quite a few entry level job opportunities targeted towards new grads.

See the complete Boston Children’s Museum profile

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - The museum is currently offering 2 jobs in the realm of entry-level—an Assistant Conservator and a Silberman Foundation ITS Research Scholar position.

See the complete United States Holocaust Memorial Museum profile

The Museum of Modern Art - Quite a few of MoMA's job opportunities are well suited for new college grads - find one that you're a perfect fit for and blow them away with your cover letter

See the complete The Museum of Modern Art profile

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (which is a non-profit), located in Cleveland, OH, celebrates the history and culture of rock and roll.

See the complete Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum profile

American Museum of Natural History - Located in NYC, the American Museum of Natural History plays host to a lot of natural wonders that you've only dreamed of.

See the complete American Museum of Natural History profile

Plimoth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg - After you graduate, why not go back in time? Both Plimoth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg have job opportunities in their living history museums.

See the complete Plimoth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg profile

Cool Culture - Cool Culture is a New York City based company that is making cultural institutions more accessible to low-income families.

See the complete Cool Culture profile

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Careers in Museum

Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Museum

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