The Brandywine River Museum of Art seeks undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in American art and the Brandywine Valley’s arts and cultural community for experiential learning opportunities. Interns will gain an in-depth understanding of specific areas of museum work by participating in departmental activities and projects under the supervision of mentoring education, curatorial, and registration staff. Through practical museum training, departmental tours, off-site field trips, and networking opportunities interns will prepare for careers in museum fields. Stipends of $2,500 are available for ten-week summer internships (dates may be flexible – inquire with application). Applicants seeking course credit may discuss requirements with staff and make necessary arrangements through their college/university prior to the start of the internship. See below for internship information and application deadlines.
Application Deadlines
Summer 2020 Internship: June 1 to August 7
Deadline: March 1, 2020; Notification: April 1, 2020
Internship Opportunities
Collections Management Intern
The Registrar’s Office manages the fine art and artifact collection by maintaining records, inventorying the collection, condition reporting, supervising storage and arranging packing, shipping and insurance for loans to and from the museum. This internship is an opportunity to assist the registrars and preparators with:
- inventorying and condition reporting our frame collection;
- revamping our curatorial guidebooks for the N. C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth studios;
- updating object records in our collection management database, TMS.
Interns will develop essential museum skills in database management, condition reporting, and inventory procedures. An art history, museum studies, or studio art background is required; excellent organizational skills and basic computer literacy is essential.
Curatorial Intern
The Museum’s curatorial internship offers the opportunity for a student to learn about exhibition development in its various phases. The intern will work directly with the curator on two specific projects:
- conduct research on a contemporary artist for an upcoming special exhibition to be held in early 2021, including gathering reviews and publications related to previous exhibitions by the artist, and general articles in journals and newspapers.
- assist in the planning and creation of the exhibition publication
- develop didactic materials to be used in the exhibition
- assist the curator with planning the 2022 exhibition Joseph Stella: Visionary Nature, focusing on primary sources related to Stella’s travels and exhibition reviews.
An art history background, with a particular strength in American art, is required as are excellent writing and research skills.
Education Intern
The Education Office engages visitors of all ages with the museum’s collection and special exhibitions through programs and interpretive materials. This internship is an opportunity to learn about museum education by working alongside education staff to:
- assist with the design and implementation of programs for children and adults that highlight Brandywine’s permanent collection and special exhibition, Fragile Earth: The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art
- facilitate a tour in the special exhibition Fragile Earth: The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art.
- engage visitors by leading activities for families at up to four weekend events
- prepare lessons and activities for family programs that will accompany the forthcoming exhibition America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution
- prepare educational materials for current and future programs
- identify opportunities to further engage with diverse audiences through access and inclusion initiatives
An art history, art education or studio art background is preferred.
Research Center Intern
The Research Center internship offers the opportunity for a student with strong organizational skills and attention to detail to work with an uncatalogued and unprocessed archival collection. The collection materials were created by S. Michael Schnessel (1947-1992) in preparation for his 1977 publication on the illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith (1863-1935), a leading illustrator of books and magazines in the early 20th century, and his research on artist Edward Penfield (1866-1925). Jessie Willcox Smith was an early student of Howard Pyle at Drexel Institute. Works of art by both Smith and Penfield are in the Brandywine’s permanent collection. The Schnessel collection (approximately 6 linear feet) includes early 20th century magazine tearsheets and covers, and the author’s correspondence, notes, photographs, notes, manuscript drafts, and business correspondence. The internship project will involve inventory, organizing and rehousing for access and preservation, and creating a finding aid.
A background in art history or library science is preferred.
To apply for an internship, submit the documents listed below to internships@brandywine.org, indicating which internship you are applying for. For more information, please call the education office at 610-388-8120.
- A cover letter stating what the applicant hopes to gain from the internship (including course credit, if applicable)
- A résumé including a list of relevant coursework