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What is an Internship?
The National Portrait Gallery, as a museum of the Smithsonian Institution, offers formal internships to qualified applicants. A Smithsonian internship is a prearranged, structured learning experience that takes place within a specific time period, usually two to three months. The experience should be relevant both to the intern's academic and professional goals and to the professional disciplines represented at the Smithsonian.
Intern Positions
Various departments at the National Portrait Gallery sponsor interns throughout the year. Intern projects are based on interests and needs of the department, and are agreed upon by the mutual consent of the intern candidate and his or her supervisor.
The Office of Administration oversees the Portrait Gallery’s financial and administrative activities. It establishes policies concerning budget and procurement and maintains managerial control over NPG operations. Intern qualifications include knowledge of grammar, spelling, and writing. An interest in financial functions and knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Access, and Word is helpful but not essential. An internship in this department requires interfacing with staff, visitors, and vendors and requires an individual who is tactful and diplomatic.
Center for Electronic Research and Outreach Services/Catalog of American Portraits (CEROS/CAP). CEROS administers research and electronic outreach programs, including the National Portrait Gallery's Web site and the Smithsonian’s intranet; the Catalog of American Portraits is a national archives and research database dedicated to portraiture. The database provides researchers with biographical information on subjects and artists, artist attributions, histories of ownership, and related works, as well as digitized images of the portraits. Interns should have good organizational skills and attention to detail, knowledge of library research methods, familiarity with computer systems, and an interest in American history or art history.
The Office of Design and Production is responsible for the design and installation of the Portrait Gallery’s public spaces, with particular emphasis on interpretation of the permanent collection and special exhibitions. The work involves design and construction of exhibition spaces; selection of paint, carpet, and all other decorative elements; and the design, fabrication, and installation of cases, frames, mounts, and supporting graphics. Interns should have knowledge of, or experience in, at least one of the following areas: design, drafting, graphic design, cabinetmaking, computer assisted design (CAD), or graphic computer skills in VectorWorks, Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign. Any other exhibition-related experience, such as picture installation or art moving, would be useful. -
The graphic design staff is responsible for designing, producing, and installing graphic elements of exhibition spaces. This includes assisting with exhibition layouts; doing preparatory work for the exhibition planning process; typesetting labels and other texts; and producing and installing these labels and texts. Graphic Design is also responsible for maintaining gallery appearance and updating signs, banners, and posters. Interns should have experience with at least two of the following: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or QuarkXpress. Interns should also have training in such areas of graphic design as digital art and typesetting. Other useful skills include using tape measures and cutting tools and mounting prints.
The lighting design staff is responsible for the design and installation of exhibition lighting elements. Responsibilities include lighting artwork, architecture, and art objects. Interns should have knowledge of, or experience in, at least one of the following areas: design, drafting, graphic design, computer assisted design (CAD), or graphic computer skills in VectorWorks or Photoshop. Any other related experience, such as photography, electronics, museum conservation, or studio art, is useful.
The Office of Development is responsible for finding private funds to support the Portrait Gallery’s acquisitions, education programs, exhibitions, publications, research, and special events. The office works locally and nationally with individuals, foundations, corporations, and government sources to accomplish its mission. An intern would have the opportunity to carry out research, develop strategies, and write proposals for various projects. An intern should be detail-oriented, have an interest in research, and possess strong writing and critical thinking skills. Knowledge of the Internet and of Windows-based word processing and database programs is essential.
The Office of Education is charged with making history come alive for its visitors through the art of portraiture. The department interacts with elementary and secondary school students, senior citizens, disabled persons, daily visitors, and interns. Information is disseminated through gallery tours, public programs, and educational outreach programs in order to address the full range of American history and portraiture and to reach the widest possible audience. An intern needs to have general knowledge of American history or art. Proficiency in library research is important for some of the positions. Interpersonal and writing skills are essential, and some knowledge of word-processing and computer spreadsheet programs is required. -
Docent and intern program staff are responsible for managing the Portrait Gallery’s adult tour programs and internships. Interns organize enrichment activities for other Portrait Gallery interns and assist with intern processing, application review, and registration, as well as docent training. Experience with Microsoft Excel is helpful.
The Department of Exhibitions and Collections Management consists of the Office of Exhibitions, the Office of Photographic Services, and the Office of the Registrar. Each office has individual responsibilities but they work closely together, and cross-departmental internships are often possible.
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The Office of Exhibitions is responsible for administering the Portrait Gallery's temporary and permanent exhibition program. It sets the exhibition schedule, establishes contracts with guest curators and external exhibition organizers, negotiates loans, obtains photographs and reproduction rights for exhibition objects, and serves as liaison with other NPG offices on exhibition-related matters An intern should have an American history or American art background, good research and keyboarding skills, be detail-oriented, and have some acquaintance with the Microsoft Office suite of software.
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The Office of Photographic Services is a twofold operation. The studio side—with two photographic studios and a digital imaging processing center—creates the photographic archive of the NPG collection. Black & white and color prints are produced in-house for archival and cataloging purposes. The archival and sales side serves as the repository, rights clearance, and sales center for reproducing images from the NPG collection. In addition to housing and maintaining the archival photography, black-and-white and color prints, slides, and transparencies are made available internally, to scholars, and to the general public. For studio work, an intern must possess knowledge of basic photographic principles and a proficiency in Photoshop. Duties include assisting the photographer and preparing images for distribution. For archival and sales work, an intern should possess word-processing and database knowledge, as well as research and organizational skills.
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The Office of the Registrar is responsible for the safekeeping of objects in the Portrait Gallery’s collections, as well as objects in temporary custody for possible acquisition, special exhibitions, and study purposes. The office creates and maintains the official records for all of these objects; prepares NPG’s collection for outgoing loans and traveling exhibitions; oversees the storage, packing, and shipping of objects; and maintains insurance documentation and legal custody agreements. An intern should have knowledge of basic museum collections management practices: collections care, documentation, and information systems.
The Department of History is involved in all Portrait Gallery functions relating to history and biography. Historians create and curate history-based exhibitions, serve as advisers to the curators in matters relating to American history and biography, and evaluate the historical importance of individuals being considered for acquisition into the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. An intern should be interested in American history, like to do historical research, and write well.
The Library contains more than 100,000 volumes, as well as auction catalogs, microfilm, and vertical files on artists and institutions. It serves fellows, visiting scholars, the public, and the staff of the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. An intern must possess the ability to deal with detailed work; accuracy is very important. A general familiarity with libraries, including the Library of Congress classification system, is valuable.
The Department of Painting and Sculpture is a curatorial department responsible for acquiring, cataloging, and researching all paintings and sculpture in the Portrait Gallery. Members of the department also conduct research for special exhibitions and for publications on the history of American portraiture, as well as handle numerous public inquiries. An intern should have a sound academic background in art history, American studies, or American history; good research and writing skills; and be able to use a word-processing program.
The Charles Willson Peale Family Papers is a documentary history project that narrates the lives of a remarkable American family. The project publishes volumes containing selections of the letters, journals, and other documents of the artists, scientists, and explorers in the Peale family from 1735 to 1885. An intern should be interested in American social and cultural history and should possess good research and writing skills. He or she should be willing to learn to transcribe handwritten documents in the manner utilized in modern documentary editions; to read broadly and deeply in historical materials; to discover with guidance the answers to historical questions posed by documents; and, also with guidance, to write terse and accurate commentary on the documents.
The Department of Photographs is a curatorial office that has custody of NPG’s extensive collection of portrait photographs. Its work includes curating exhibitions and acquiring, researching, cataloging, and storing objects. An intern should have a strong background in art history or American history; a familiarity with the history of photography and various photographic processes is preferred. Legible handwriting for recording information and an acquaintance with library research techniques is desired. Skills should also include some knowledge of word-processing and computer database systems.
The Department of Prints and Drawings is a curatorial office that has custody of works of art on paper. This department's services include acquiring, documenting, researching, storing, and overseeing the conservation of these objects. An intern should have a strong academic background in art history or American history. Proficiency in library research is useful.
The Office of Public Affairs is responsible for all public relations for the museum, including the news media, exhibition openings, and special events. An intern must possess the ability to research, organize, and synthesize information and put it into clear, concise written form, and to work well with journalists and the general public.
The Office of Publications is responsible for developing, editing, and producing books, catalogues, and brochures for the Portrait Gallery. All material published by NPG staff comes through this office to ensure accuracy and uniformity of style. An intern should have an interest in publishing and the publications process and should be detail-oriented, with a background in American history, art history, or English. Facility with Microsoft Word is a must; knowledge of Excel and Access is helpful.
Application Information
The National Portrait Gallery offers internships to undergraduate and graduate students and to individuals not affiliated with academic programs who have research or museum career interests. The availability of internships depends upon departmental projects and staff needs, as well as the background, skills, and interests of the applicant.
The application deadline for summer internships is March 31. The application deadline for summer 2009 internships is March 1, 2009. Applications for fall, winter, and spring internships are accepted on an ongoing basis. Length of available time that an applicant is available to intern is a consideration in the evaluation of applications. At present, stipends are not available. Interns are encouraged to have health insurance.
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CONTACT US
 Phone: (202) 633-8508
FAX: (202) 633-8521
 E-mail: NPGInterns@si.edu
Mailing Address:
(for U.S. Postal Service mail)
MRC 973
P.O. Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012
OR
(for FedEx, UPS, and other non– USPS delivery)
750 Ninth Street NW,
Suite 4100
Washington, DC 20001
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APPLICATION FORM
Please use the printable application form, and be sure to include all required materials. The application should be sent by e-mail or to one of the two addresses above, depending on the type of delivery.
 Internship application (doc)
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