Exhibitions Intern

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The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter, and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We know we make the greatest impact when a full range of voices is represented.

Passionate: We believe art and the creative process can open our minds to help us build a better world.Brave: We nurture a responsive, action-oriented atmosphere fueled by curiosity and innovation.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution, and forge authentic relationships with our community.SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and everyone is appreciated for their whole self.

Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/weekDuration: Monday, June 5th, 2023 – Friday, August 11th, 2023

Pay Rate: $7,500 stipend (pre-tax, one time payment)

The Exhibitions Specialty under Exhibitions & Program Management (EPM) manages exhibitions, programs, and budgets. Working in conjunction with almost all other departments museum-wide, the EPM department oversees an exhibition’s planning from its conception, offering a broad view of the process of exhibition development at a world-class fine arts museum.

Position Description

During their internship at SFMOMA, the Exhibitions intern will work with the Exhibitions Project Managers on updating and archiving the Exhibition History files of SFMOMA’s past exhibitions. The history files are an important part of recording SFMOMA’s robust exhibition history and include materials such as: as-hung checklists, as-hung floorplans, staff contact list, sample didactics, catalogue information (as relevant), final budget, attendance figures, any educational materials, marketing collateral, opening event invitations, press clippings and more. The Exhibitions intern will also support the Exhibitions Project Managers in establishing a maintenance plan for the files moving forward. In addition to supporting the preservation of this important component of SFMOMA’s institutional history, the intern will have access and insight into various current exhibition projects and the inner workings of the Exhibitions Planning team.

Project Plan

Under the close supervision of the Exhibitions Project Managers, the intern will be responsible for:
Researching, compiling, and assembling SFMOMA exhibitions history files to completion. Other responsibilities as identified by Intern and Exhibitions Project Managers.
Interns will also be given opportunities to shadow Exhibitions Project Managers to gain insight into SFMOMA’s exhibitions planning strategies

Educational Objectives

Skills Gained
Exhibitions’ history research
Wide-ranging understanding of exhibitions processes including conception, design, installation and coordination
Projects Worked On
Physical and electronic SFMOMA Exhibitions history files
Other, as identified
Transferable Skills
Research
Organization of large volume of documentation materials
General museum exhibitions knowledge

Requirements & Skills

Education & Training
Candidate must be currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in fine arts, art history, museum studies, non–profit management, or another related field.
Desired Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of and interest in modern and contemporary art and artists
Strong communication, organizational and research skills.
Interest in project management and developing systems and processes strongly encouraged.
Application Requirements
Resume
Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest. (Please list no more than three departments.) Describe the experience you bring to these areas, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.
Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or former employer.
College transcript: Transcripts can be unofficial but need to be legible.

Application Deadline: March 20, 2023A link will be provided in the application for you to submit your college transcript and two (2) letters of recommendation via a third party, if you are not able to upload those directly into the application.You do not need separate letters of recommendation for each intern application – please just let each of the recommenders know which internships (up to 3) you’re applying to and we’ll review those two letters across all of your internship applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.

COVID-19 Environmental Factors: In keeping with city, county, and state regulations regarding large gatherings, and to contain the spread of coronavirus, the museum is following the city of San Francisco guidelines. As a part of our commitment to health and safety, COVID-19 vaccination is required for all current and newly hired employees and contractors.Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law. If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or with providing additional information asked in the job posting. You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at talent@sfmoma.org.