Smithsonian Internships

 
Smithsonian Internships
4.17 out of 5

2 review(s)
Headquarters:
Washington, DC
Employees:
6,000
Annual Interns:
1,000
Profile Views: 3286

Smithsonian

Internship Overview
Internship Rating (Avg): 4.17 out of 5
2 Intern Reviews
Avg Smithsonian Intern Salary: $10.00
2 Intern Salaries
Did you intern at Smithsonian? Add Salary or Add Review
 

Internship Stats

The Smithsonian hires about 1,200 summer interns. These summer internships revolve around museums and include curation, marketing, photography, and research. Smithsonian offers a mix between paid and unpaid internship. 

Highlights

Throughout your Smithsonian internship, you'll work with experts in their fields on one-of-a-kind projects. You'll also have access to our world-class libraries and research facilities.

But it's not all work—you'll also receive special discounts, invitations to exclusive events, and behind-the-scenes tours of Washington's top destinations.*

Internship & Smithsonian Overview

Smithsonian internships are designed to allow interns the opportunity to help produce world-class programs, exhibits, and research. Interns will have an opportunity to make a real impact, develop personally and professionally, and learn from people who are experts in their fields.

As the world’s largest museum complex, the Smithsonian spans 19 museums, the National Zoo, cutting edge research facilities, and extensive education and outreach programs across the world. At any given time, the Smithsonian employs 6,000 workers, thousands of researchers, volunteers, and hosts 1,000 interns yearly. The Smithsonian is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and operates museums and facilities in New York, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Massachusetts, Arizona, and Panama.*

Internship Links

Smithsonian Institution internships - here
Smithsonian Institution internship orientation site: here
Internships by subject: here.

2 Smithsonian Intern Salaries
Geology Intern: $10/hour
Musuem Intern: $10/hour
2 Smithsonian reviews posted anonymously by former interns:
"researched medical images and art"
Position: Musuem Intern
Location: Washingon, DC
Pay: $$10/hour
Duration: 10 weeks
Review posted on 2/28/2011
I gained real world experience:
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Agree
My boss treated me with respect:
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Agree
I enjoyed my fellow co-workers:
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Strongly Agree
The work I performed was interesting:
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Neutral "OK"
I feel better positioned to gain a fulltime job:
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Neutral "OK"
Overall, I was satisfied with my internship:
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Strongly Agree

Pros:

My internship was at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in the Department of Medicine and Science. I worked with items from the Bristol-Myers Squibb collection (which is a collection of over 1,100 medical instruments, apothecary sets, medicines, anatomical models, mortars and pestles, and related artworks and crafts). I worked specifically with a group of prints that depict medical scenes, portraits of doctors and pharmacists, and cartoon representations of illnesses and prevention methods. My internship entailed researching these images to determine their dates, the artists who made them, the countries of origin, and the historical significance of the scenes and people depicted in them. I entered the information into the museum’s database catalogue and wrote descriptions about the pieces to be featured on an online exhibit on the Smithsonian’s website.

Cons:

Some of the tasks where not that exciting.

Advice for other students:

It really helps to be outgoing and friendly. You never know who you are going to meet and how they will change your life. Start up conversations with everyone, even if they are only other interns or volunteers. Any networking is good networking and everyone you meet will have some sort of advice to give (even the security guards). Go to events and lectures and meetings that your office is having. Offer a helping hand whenever you can, to whomever you can. Be noticed and be involved, and opportunities you never thought you would get will present themselves.
 
"I looked at fossils and loved it!"
Position: Geology Intern
Location: Washingon, DC
Pay: $$10/hour
Duration: 10 weeks
Review posted on 3/3/2011
I gained real world experience:
1
2
3
4
5
Agree
My boss treated me with respect:
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly Agree
I enjoyed my fellow co-workers:
1
2
3
4
5
Agree
The work I performed was interesting:
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly Agree
I feel better positioned to gain a fulltime job:
1
2
3
4
5
Neutral "OK"
Overall, I was satisfied with my internship:
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly Agree

Pros:

I completed a paid internship with the Smithsonian Institution in the summer - working in the Department of Paleobiology of the National Museum of Natural History. Rhodes worked closely with paleontologists at the Smithsonian to develop climate reconstructions from Late Paleozoic (280 million years old) fossil leaf assemblages.

I went through two collections of Permian-aged fossils and assessed the similarities and differences between them and other collections. This involved examining specimens with a hand lens, recording the data, doing fossil prep work, and photography. Data were analyzed in various computer programs.

Cons:

Some data entry, but I like that.

Advice for other students:

Great place to intern. Lots of other fun summer interns were there.
 
 
 

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