Museum Collections Internship

Motown Museum • Detroit, MI

2d

About The Position

The Collections Intern will support the work of the Curatorial and Collections Department by assisting the Team with the care, organization, and documentation of the museum’s holdings. The intern will gain hands-on experience working with three-dimensional objects, uniforms, and archival materials, while contributing to Collections projects that support storage improvements, documentation, and exhibition preparation. The intern will work directly within the Curatorial and Collections Department.

Requirements

• Current undergraduate or graduate student in Museum Studies, History, Archival Studies, MLIS, Public History, Art History, or a related field.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Interest in museum collections, archives, and cultural preservation.
• Ability to work carefully with historic objects and archival materials.
• Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and SharePoint.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with collections databases or archives management systems.
• Preparator or conservation experience.
• Coursework or practical experience in collections care or museum studies.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Collections team with the organization and care of museum objects and archival materials.
• Support collection documentation by recording and updating object locations and related information in internal tracking systems.
• Assist with handling, cleaning, and basic preservation of artifacts following museum collections standards.
• Work with three-dimensional objects and uniforms within the collection.
• Support preparation of objects for conservation, storage, relocation, or exhibition.
• Assist with collection inventories and organization of storage areas and vaults.
• Maintain orderly digital and physical records related to collections management.
• Provide general support to departmental projects related to collection care, preservation, and access.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees