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[Spring 2026] Exhibition Design Internship

[Spring 2026] Exhibition Design Internship

MediabistroNew York City, NY, United States
24 days ago
Job type
  • Internship
Job description

Whitney's Academic Year Internship Program

The Whitney's Academic Year Internship program offers a semester-long paid internship for undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in an accredited academic program. The internship is hybrid, with some onsite work. For Spring 2026, interns commit between 1621 hours per week over 1012 weeks for a total of 200 hours. Interns are assigned to a specific department at the Museum for the duration of the internship.

Exhibition Design Intern

The Whitney seeks an Exhibition Design intern for Spring 2026. Expected Projects & Assignments include :

  • Participating in departmental design charrettes and meetings with exhibition curators to review design concepts and art layouts as well as planning meetings involving colleagues across the institution.
  • Assisting in making art layouts, scaled maquettes of the artwork, study models, full scale mockups and presentation materials.
  • Observing and assisting on the floor during construction and installation when possible.

Skills & Qualifications

  • Enrolled in architecture or related design program.
  • 2D drafting skills, preferably Vectorworks, 3D modeling skills, preferably Rhino and V-Ray, and fluency in Adobe Suite.
  • Facility with building both study and finish models.
  • Ability to think abstractly and creatively with concern for details.
  • Good communication skills.
  • Ability to work in a flexible, fast-paced environment on simultaneous projects.
  • When applying, candidates must provide a link to their design portfolio.
  • Undergraduates and graduates currently enrolled in accredited academic year programs are eligible.
  • Applicants must have completed a minimum of one years worth of academic coursework; undergraduate freshmen are not eligible.
  • While a demonstrated interest in art and art history is preferred, students in all majors are encouraged to apply.
  • Previous museum experience is not required.

    • Provided Training

  • Interns will be exposed to the process of how exhibitions are realized from conception to installation and the role of Exhibition Design in that process.
  • Interns will work alongside designers and curators to develop an exhibitions narrative and environment.
  • Interns will learn the tools designers use to communicate spatial and conceptual ideas to curators and the larger institution.
  • Training in developing scaled models of the art work, working with architectural models of the exhibition, developing larger mock ups, developing architectural drawings, and looking critically at art layout in terms of the curatorial narrative.

    • Outcomes

  • Learning the skills to help assess art checklists, developing three-dimensional thinking with 2D and 3D work, learning the fundamentals of exhibition design planning. Gaining insight from how a large museum of this scale works and how other departments affect exhibition design.

    • Compensation

    Interns will be paid a stipend of $3000. Generous support for Ostrover Family Academic Year Interns is provided by Julie and Doug Ostrover.

    If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.

    About the Whitney : The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The core of the Whitney's mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

    EEO Statement : The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

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    Internship Spring 2026 • New York City, NY, United States