Emerging Leaders Internship

Interns will gain hands-on experience while making a positive impact on museum guests from across the Bay Area and around the world. This internship offers genuine engagement opportunities in art practice, museum education, art education, public programs, digital learning, and civic engagement.

Internship Dates: September 21, 2026–January 18, 2027

This is a sixteen-week, part-time (20 hours/week) internship. Schedule to be determined; interns must be available in person on Sundays from 10AM–5PM for the duration of the internship to facilitate Sundays at the Asian Art Museum events.

What to Expect

This internship combines project-based learning, one-to-one mentorship, and weekly seminars with professionals from across the museum field. Interns will receive training on best practices in museum education and curriculum design. They will then embark on projects throughout the museum, gaining hands-on teaching experience with audiences of all ages and abilities along the way. Projects may include:

• Designing developmentally appropriate collection tours for K-12 audiences
• Developing and offering artmaking workshops for adult audiences
• Researching, selecting, and hosting Asian and Asian American luminaries at our public programs
• Creating curricular resources and other assets for our digital learning platforms
• Collaborating with marketing and communications to market programs

Interns will also learn from professionals across the museum through weekly seminars. Seminar activities may include special exhibition tours with curators, lunches with senior leadership, and talks from division heads across a variety of departments. Interns will also visit local museums and other cultural institutions across the Bay Area.

Eligibility

Interns must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in an accredited, degree-granting program at the time of their internship. Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are encouraged to apply.

The museum welcomes qualified candidates from all backgrounds. Prior museum experience is not required. Students who are the first generation in their family to attend college, low-income, and bilingual in an Asian language are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with a commitment to accessibility, social justice, and museum equity are preferred. Ideal candidates are enthusiastic to learn and eager to build connections with a diverse, lively community.

Compensation

Internships are sixteen-week, part-time (20 hours/week) internships. Interns must be available in person on Sundays from 10AM to 5PM for the duration of the internship. Internship schedules may vary according to their focus and may include some evenings and additional weekend days.

Academic year paid internships are part-time and will receive $3,000. All stipends are paid in two parts, at the start and end of the internship period.

Non-paid internships are for credit only through the intern’s university. All applicants to these internships must have permission from their university to earn college credit through their internship.

Working Conditions

•  Standard museum, office, event, educational environment.  
• Computer, tablet, and phone use.  

Application Timeline

Applications will open in August. All components of the application (essay, work sample, transcripts, letters of recommendation) must be submitted on/before 11:59 pm PST on September 11, 2026.

Information Sessions will be held in early February. Dates of these sessions and registration links will be posted on the Asian Art Museum Calendar.

Finalists will be contacted for an interview.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must submit:

• A completed application form using the link provided below
• Cover letter / essay that answers the following questions:
  • What makes you want to work at the Asian Art Museum? Consider our mission of centering and celebrating Asian/Asian American art and culture.
  • Why are you interested in education and public programs?
  • What skills, experiences, and perspectives will you bring to the position?
  • What do you hope to learn from the internship? How will this position help you achieve a longer-term career goal?
• Academic transcript (This can be unofficial but must be legible)
• One letter of recommendation from a professor or employer