Archival Scanning Undergraduate Intern

Museum of Fine Arts•Boston, MA

8d•$17•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Art of Ancient Egypt, Nubia, and the Near East at the Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest and most encyclopedic collections of its kind in the world, containing approximately 70,000 objects. The department is seeking an intern to work under the direction of the Egyptian department’s curatorial staff to assist with scanning archival expedition records, data entry, and maintaining a database of scanned images. This internship presents an opportunity for an intern to learn about early archaeological practice and recording methods, focusing on the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition. The intern will gain experience with modern systems of access and preservation of archaeological records, with the objective of documenting this expedition’s archival material for preservation and research purposes. As the Archival Scanning intern will be working closely with fragile archival materials with staff, this position is fully onsite. Ideal candidates must be able to commit to work onsite 14 hours weekly, mostly between 9am-5pm Monday-Friday between June 15 through August 22, 2026, including undergraduate attendance at the undergraduate Museum Pathways & Practices professional development course from 12:30-2:30pm on the following Thursdays: June 18, June 25, July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, and August 20. The intern will be paid at a rate of $16.80 per hour and will receive a $90 per month transportation subsidy as well as a $1,500 housing subsidy, (paid in two equal payments. (Both subsidies are subject to taxes.) As we amplify our efforts toward becoming a truly inclusive institution and fostering the next generation of museum staff, the MFA actively encourages students from all backgrounds to apply to the program.

Requirements

Enrolled in and returning to an undergraduate program in a relevant field of study (e.g., Art History, Classics, History, Archaeology, etc.) concurrent with the internship period.
Proven ability to read cursive.
Familiarity with Photoshop and Excel
Familiarity with handling fragile documents
Demonstrated careful attention to detail.
Training or experience in archaeology (preferably of Egypt) or historical archives
Ability to work onsite 14 hours per week, within Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm parameters, between June 15 and August 22, 2026, including undergraduate attendance at the undergraduate Museum Pathways & Practices professional development course from 12:30-2:30pm on the following Thursdays: June 18, June 25, July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, and August 20.
Ability to attend orientation on Monday, June 15, 2026, 10am to 3:30pm.

Responsibilities

Scan, edit in Photoshop, and transcribe archival records, such as handwritten tomb cards and notebooks
Maintain a database of the scanned documents.
Verify information relating to the collection, as appropriate.
Prepare and offer a 3-minute final synoptic presentation of the internship as part of the Museum Pathways & Practices professional development course.
Assist with other curatorial activities, on request.