McMullan Museum Scholar (Two Year Placement)

Art Institute of Chicago • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Museum Scholars program is part of a museum-wide effort to provide students the opportunity to gain experience, career awareness, networks, and skills that will position them to thrive as future art museum leaders. The museum's emerging professional programs, among them internships, fellowships, and the scholars programs, are stewarded by the Department of Academic Engagement and Research (AER) in the Research Center. Our aim is to nurture dynamic, interdisciplinary thinkers that will be empowered changemakers equipped with the tools and networks to do great work in the world.

The Museum Scholars position is awarded to two undergraduate students who’ve completed the McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive program.

Goals:
Museum Scholars gain awareness and further their development in the following areas:

Broader understanding of individual and collaborative work within the museum
Practice in museum professional skill sets (software, collections work, project development)
Improvement in written and oral communication skills in a professional and interpersonal context
Opportunities for self-directed work
Confidence in their abilities to advocate for themselves and issues important to them
Enhanced connections between their museum experiences and personal interests
Refinement of their personal and professional paths and goal-setting for their next steps.

Time Commitment:
Museum Scholars commit to a program lasting twenty-three months, beginning October 5, 2026 and concluding August 18, 2028. They are expected to fulfill all aspects of the program, including:

Regular activities with their mentor that may require on-site or remote presence at the Art Institute of Chicago 10-14 hours per week during the academic year
Full-time (30 hours per week) participation over the course of two 11-week terms in summer 2027 and summer 2028 respectively
Meeting with AER staff on a regular basis (biweekly in the academic year, and weekly in the summer).

Regular Engagement Activities:
Mentors assist Museum Scholars in the following:

Introduction to: departments across the museum, collections, gallery rotations, cross-departmental meetings, studio visits, host department programs, etc.
Training on: collection management systems, object handling, research, writing, public engagement, oral communication (public, philanthropic, and interdepartmental), receiving and relaying professional feedback, etc.
Off-site visits to: opportunities for the student to connect with art professionals, including museums and/or collections, artist spaces, auctions houses, etc.
Discussions on: curatorial and museum studies, social justice issues at the museum, academic/career advising, wellness, etc.
Travel funds usage for: research associated with their fellowship or academic studies, school visits, networking, attending conferences, etc. Travel funds may also be used to align with a mentor’s business travel plans.

Placements:
Two separate host department placements will occur twice over the course of two years:

2026–27 Academic Year (October–May) and subsequent Summer (June–August)
2027-28 Academic Year (October–May) and subsequent Summer (June–August).

Placements will be coordinated by AER in conversation with the Museum Scholars and potential mentors.

First Academic Year
Duration: October-May
Program Hours: Approximately 280-392 hours; average of 40–56 hours/month
The Museum Scholar is asked to commit to the following:

Weekly meetings with museum mentor
Work on meaningful projects as assigned by host department
Off-site visits with museum mentor and host department
Bimonthly check-in meetings with AER staff
Monthly museum scholars cohort programs and activities (including orientation, field trips, museum practice seminars, etc.)
An academic year capstone project (see below).

Program hours may occur in a hybrid combination of virtual and in-person formats

Museum Scholar Output:
Mentors will be in charge of assigning and organizing their Museum Scholar’s projects. These projects must be meaningful to the Museum Scholar by stimulating growth in new skill sets while also being connected to their interests and academic objectives. These projects must also contribute to the department’s/mentor’s overall productivity and mission.

This may include: written visual analysis/object description; collections review; provenance research; writing an artist biography; writing object chat labels; creating a bibliography; public speaking; public program ideation and facilitation; survey and evaluation; and documentation of museum questions and reflections. This may also include goal-oriented, Museum Scholar-developed projects tied to their academic studies.

First Academic Year Capstone Project: Co-Leading a Gallery Talk
Museum Scholars will lead one gallery talk together at the end of their first academic year. Museum Scholars develop the theme for their talk and select museum spaces, objects, and their audience. To support the Museum Scholars, AER will coordinate training sessions for public speaking while mentors will offer guidance.

First Summer
Duration: June–August
Program Hours: Approximately 330 hours; average of 30 hours per week for 11 weeks
The Museum Scholar is asked to commit to the following:

Weekly meetings with museum mentor
Work on meaningful projects as assigned by host department
Off-site visits with museum mentor and host department
Weekly check-in meetings with the fellowship program managers
Biweekly Museum Scholar cohort programs and activities (including orientation, field trips, museum practice seminars, etc.)
A summer term capstone project (see below)
Cohort research travel trip (see below).

Program hours may occur in a hybrid combination of virtual and in-person formats

Museum Scholar Output:
Similar to the academic year, mentors will be in charge of assigning and organizing their Museum Scholar’s projects. Ideally, Museum Scholars should receive one substantial department project that they can work on throughout the summer.

First Summer Term Capstone Project
Museum Scholars will be asked to create a project that speaks to their areas of interest, individually or in collaboration. This might look like a blog post, gallery activation program, organizing a roundtable/presentation, or another publication or programming opportunity.

Museum Scholar Funded Opportunities
Group Research Trip
In late July, 1st-year Museum Scholars, their mentors, and AER will travel to another city for a week to learn about arts institutions outside of Chicago. In addition to meetings and tours, Museum Scholars and their mentors will have ample opportunities to conduct their own meetings and research. Museum Scholars are required to attend this research trip. Mentors’ flights, accommodations, and per diem will be funded by McMullan if joining this trip.

Research Travel
Museum Scholars are given a stipend to support individual research travel. Museum Scholars must consult with their mentors around planning travel and submit a proposal to AER with budget lines for airfare, accommodations, and other travel incidental expenses.

Fellowship Support Funds
Museum Scholars also have access to a broad pool of funds meant to support their work and academic studies (such as conference registration, book purchases, or extracurricular coursework and supplies.)

Requirements

• Completed the McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive program
• Resume
• Cover letter

Nice To Haves

• Museum Scholars are required to attend this research trip.

Responsibilities

• Regular activities with their mentor that may require on-site or remote presence at the Art Institute of Chicago 10-14 hours per week during the academic year
• Full-time (30 hours per week) participation over the course of two 11-week terms in summer 2027 and summer 2028 respectively
• Meeting with AER staff on a regular basis (biweekly in the academic year, and weekly in the summer)
• Introduction to: departments across the museum, collections, gallery rotations, cross-departmental meetings, studio visits, host department programs, etc.
• Training on: collection management systems, object handling, research, writing, public engagement, oral communication (public, philanthropic, and interdepartmental), receiving and relaying professional feedback, etc.
• Off-site visits to: opportunities for the student to connect with art professionals, including museums and/or collections, artist spaces, auctions houses, etc.
• Discussions on: curatorial and museum studies, social justice issues at the museum, academic/career advising, wellness, etc.
• Work on meaningful projects as assigned by host department
• Off-site visits with museum mentor and host department
• Bimonthly check-in meetings with AER staff
• Monthly museum scholars cohort programs and activities (including orientation, field trips, museum practice seminars, etc.)
• An academic year capstone project
• Weekly meetings with museum mentor
• Work on meaningful projects as assigned by host department
• Off-site visits with museum mentor and host department
• Weekly check-in meetings with the fellowship program managers
• Biweekly Museum Scholar cohort programs and activities (including orientation, field trips, museum practice seminars, etc.)
• A summer term capstone project
• Cohort research travel trip

Benefits

• $10,500 annual stipend
• Travel funds usage for: research associated with their fellowship or academic studies, school visits, networking, attending conferences, etc. Travel funds may also be used to align with a mentor’s business travel plans.
• Museum Scholars are given a stipend to support individual research travel.
• Museum Scholars also have access to a broad pool of funds meant to support their work and academic studies (such as conference registration, book purchases, or extracurricular coursework and supplies.)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed