Intern Museum Collections Management

The Henry Ford•Dearborn, MI

5d•$20•Onsite

About The Position

The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative (FFEI) Internship Program at The Henry Ford is a cohort-based program that offers professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities. We invite diverse candidates who are curious about careers in the museum world to become a part of our legacy and take it forward. The FFEI Internship Program’s mission is to offer opportunities in museum work to emerging professionals who identify with historically marginalized groups and to invite our interns to think outside the box and explore their careers in new ways. Participants will engage in the program through various bi-weekly professional development workshops hosted on our Dearborn campus. It is mandatory for participants to attend, and applicants should work with their leadership to ensure proper attendance. Workshops typically occur on Wednesdays during the work week. As part of your employment, we also have our interns participate in an end of cohort survey. The 15-week Winter 2027 internship runs January 25–May 7, 2027. Attendance at orientation on January 25 is mandatory. The Museum Collections Management intern will help document, care for, and store artifacts, with a focus on The Henry Ford's ceramics collection. Working under the guidance of the Collections Management staff, the intern will help move selected objects into a specially designed storage space, update collection records, and learn safe artifact handling practices. The intern will also assist with data standardization, location updates, tagging, and collections problem solving within the collections database. Throughout the project, the intern will coordinate with members of the Collections Management, Registration, and Historical Resources teams to ensure tasks are completed on schedule. This internship offers hands-on experience with museum collections, storage methods, and documentation standards. Under the direction of the supervisor, the intern will conduct research, update catalog records, photographs, clean, and rehouse artifacts. Through inventory work, the intern will learn how to safely handle and track collections across campus. The intern will also support data standardization in the collections database, location updates, tagging, and problem solving. This internship offers a unique opportunity to build practical experience in museum data entry standards, storage techniques, artifact cleaning, and the care of museum collections. There is the potential for this project to be extended into future cohorts.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a college or university program in history, museum studies, library and information science, preservation, or a related field
Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
Wednesday availability for required internship programming
Experience handling materials such as ceramics, metals, paper, or textiles

Nice To Haves

Strong attention to detail when handling objects and entering collections information
Ability to organize work, follow procedures, and maintain accurate records
Clear verbal and written communication and the ability to work with staff across teams
Curiosity about historical objects and how museums care for them
Care and sound judgment when handling historical and valuable objects
Ability to learn and navigate any collections management database

Responsibilities

Research artifacts and review existing documentation to support accurate catalog records
Enter and update object descriptions, inventory information, and locations in the collections database
Assist staff with cleaning, photography, handling, moving, and rehousing artifacts as part of the ceramics project
Organize and maintain artifacts and historical materials in processing and storage areas
Track artifact locations and bring discrepancies or condition concerns to the supervisor’s attention
Work with Collections Management, Registration, and other Historical Resources staff to complete project tasks
Participate in required internship orientation and professional development activities