Whitney Museum of American Art
[Summer 2026] Exhibition Design Internship
New York City, NY - Internship
The Whitney’s summer internship program is a full-time, paid, nine-week session primarily for undergraduate students. The program includes training, direct work experience, professional development, and a weekly speaker series. The 2026 Summer internship will be hybrid, meaning interns will work onsite at least three days per week. The program will begin on Monday, June 1, and end on Friday, July 31. Participants must be available Monday through Friday for nine consecutive weeks, five days per week.
The application window for our Summer 2026 Hearst Family Internship is now open through Friday, January 16th. Please note that all candidates will be considered on a rolling basis, and as such, some opportunities may close before the deadline.
The Whitney seeks an Exhibition Design intern for Summer 2026. To view all Internship opportunities and to learn more about The Whitney's offerings, please refer to our Internships Page.
Expected Projects & Assignments
- Interns will participate in departmental design charrettes and meetings with exhibition curators to review design concepts and art layouts as well as planning meetings involving colleagues across the institution (via Zoom and in-person)
- Interns will also assist in making art layouts, scaled maquettes of the artwork, study models, full scale mockups and presentation materials
- When possible, interns will observe and assist on the floor during construction and installation
Skills & Qualifications
- Enrolled in architecture or related design program
- 2D drafting skills, preferably Vectorworks, 3D modeling skills, preferably Rhino and V-Ray, and fluency in Adobe Suite.
- Facility with building both study and finish models
- Ability to think abstractly and creatively Concern for details
- Good communication skills
- Ability to work in a flexible, fast-paced environment on simultaneous projects
- When applying, candidates must provide a link to their design portfolio
- Undergraduates and graduates currently enrolled in accredited academic year programs are eligibl
- While a demonstrated interest in art and art history is preferred, students in all majors are encouraged to apply
- Previous museum experience is not required
Provided Training
- Interns will be exposed to the process of how exhibitions are realized from conception to installation and the role of Exhibition Design in that process
- Interns will work alongside designers and curators to develop an exhibition’s narrative and environment
- Interns will learn the tools designers use to communicate spatial and conceptual ideas to curators and the larger institution
- Training in developing scaled models of the art work, working with architectural models of the exhibition, developing larger mock ups, developing architectural drawings, and looking critically at art layout in terms of the curatorial narrative
Outcomes
- Learning the skills to help assess art checklists, developing three-dimensional thinking with 2D and 3D work, learning the fundamentals of exhibition design planning. Gaining insight from how a large museum of this scale works and how other departments affect exhibition design.
Compensation
- Interns will be paid a stipend of $6,500 for full participation.
If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.
About the Whitney:
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.
EEO Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.
