Curatorial: Fashion and Design Research Intern

SFMOMA • San Francisco, CA

14d • $7,000 - $7,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values. Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue. Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life. Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives. Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution. SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purposeâ Department Description The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Architecture + Design (A+D) collection connects people with pivotal works that influence contemporary culture. By bringing thought-provoking architecture and design into focus, we reveal their powerful ability to inspire, and often transform, our individual and collective experience of the world. More than an object or a space that affects how we act and interact, design is a process and way of thinking that prompts responses to challenging issues that impact the quality of our lives and our communities. Since its founding in 1935, the museum has organized exhibitions of design, and in 1988 formed a department of architecture and design, adding works of graphic design, product design, furniture, and architecture to its permanent collection. The department’s focus is to acquire and present modern and contemporary works that are innovative, represent current ideas within the discipline and culture, and critique the status quo. Position Description In close collaboration with the Assistant Curator of Architecture + Design, the Curatorial Fashion and Design Research Intern will familiarize themselves with the Museum’s Architecture + Design collection, upcoming projects, and associated programs. This research-based position will be focused on the organization and tracking of exhibition related material, including auxiliary images, captions, and bibliographies for an upcoming temporary exhibition on the intrinsic relationship between fashion and postwar and contemporary sculpture. Project Plan Over the 9-week program the Architecture & Design Intern will: · Conduct research on artists, designers, and objects on the exhibition checklist · Research auxiliary images for publication, gallery texts and interpretative needs and generate associated captions · Research and compile annotated bibliographies as needed for publication and interpretive texts · Compile research folders, bibliographic materials, existing texts, and frame research · Assist in writing in-gallery and online interpretive materials as appropriate · Participate in occasional exhibition planning meetings Educational Objectives Exposure to various aspects of organizing large-scale temporary exhibitions, such as conducting research, compiling checklists, writing interpretive materials, and collaborating with departments across the museum. Additional Internship Programming The Summer 2026 Internship will offer 9-weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

Requirements

• Recent or current graduate student in Design History, Material Culture Studies, Contemporary Art, Cultural/Ethnic Studies, Art History, or related field with a demonstrable focus on Fashion History from 1945 to present, preferred. The SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.
• Applicants with at least two years of undergraduate coursework in a related field and relevant experience will also be considered.
• If you are a current employee of the SFMOMA applying for an internship, you must be a current student or a recent graduate, within 6 months of the internship start date.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on artists, designers, and objects on the exhibition checklist
• Research auxiliary images for publication, gallery texts and interpretative needs and generate associated captions
• Research and compile annotated bibliographies as needed for publication and interpretive texts
• Compile research folders, bibliographic materials, existing texts, and frame research
• Assist in writing in-gallery and online interpretive materials as appropriate
• Participate in occasional exhibition planning meetings

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees