Key Information
Institution: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, Monday, June 15 – Friday, August 14; at least three days working onsite
Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street
Stipend: $7,000 one-time pre-tax stipend paid in a single lump sum after start date
Application Deadline: February 28, 2026
Department Description
One of the first American museums to recognize photography as an art form, SFMOMA’s photography collection encompasses work from daguerreotypes made in the first years of the medium’s existence to digital imagery produced by experimental contemporary artists. The largest collecting area in the museum, photography has been an integral part of SFMOMA since its founding in 1935, due to the formative presence of Bay Area artists such as Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Edward Weston, and Imogen Cunningham. SFMOMA’s pioneering commitment to photography continues today, even as the definition of the medium continues to evolve. By bringing together all of its forms—prints, projections, and installations—the department aims to propose a fresh approach to exhibiting photography at SFMOMA, one that embraces the inherently modern and democratic qualities of photography in the current era.
Position Description
Working closely with department staff, the Curatorial Intern in Photography will focus on support for upcoming exhibitions and collections-based research, writing, and cataloguing. The intern will research the relationship between celebrity and 20th and 21st century American photography. Starting with SFMOMA’s permanent collection, the intern will become familiar with the museum’s internal collection database to create checklists of artworks related to forthcoming exhibition themes. The intern will also compile an annotated bibliography of publications and exhibitions on celebrity and photography. As needed for upcoming acquisitions and exhibitions, the intern may write label copy and overview summaries on artworks and artists. The intern will learn art handling skills and may help organize photography collection storage to update outdated location and descriptions of American photography.
Project Plan
The Curatorial: Photography Intern will perform research, scan archival material, and compile summaries and timelines. They will compile annotated bibliographies related to selected exhibition themes. The intern will become familiar with processes within a large museum institution, such as artwork databases and storage, internal archives, and short form writing for acquisitions, artist files, and exhibitions.
Educational Objectives
The Curatorial: Photography Intern will develop research and writing skills and organize and catalogue collections-related materials; be mentored on best research practices, including how to use archives and databases effectively, strategies and sources for finding scholarship, and how to keep information organized and accessible for the future; gain an understanding of early-stage planning for acquisitions and exhibitions; learn about working in a large arts organization and accessions and collections practices; and gain exposure to information useful for further academic study in Photography, Art History, Cultural/Ethnic Studies, and related humanities, as well as background to various museum projects and initiatives.
Additional Internship Programming
The Summer 2026 Internship will offer nine weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship, along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.
Requirements
Recent or current undergraduate student in Art History, Cultural/Ethnic Studies, or a related humanities field with a demonstrable focus on Photography; a graduation date within six months of the internship start date is recognized as a recent graduate; current SFMOMA employees applying for an internship must be current students or recent graduates within six months of the internship start date; excellent writing skills with correct English usage including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary; knowledge of modern and contemporary art history and terminology with a focus on contemporary art; solid academic research skills and bibliographic citation; excellent organizational and communication skills; knowledge of or willingness to learn standard office practices including formal letter writing, bookkeeping, filing, and operation of office equipment; familiarity and ease with PC work environments and Microsoft Office software suites. TAX WITHHOLDING: For certain non-US residents and non-CA residents, any payments that constitute taxable income under U.S. tax law may be subject to up to 30% federal and 7% state tax withholding (or the current applicable rates), and any payments received may be reduced accordingly; applicants should consult a tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of the stipend.
