The internship program at the Asian Art Museum, provides dynamic, in-depth learning opportunities to teens, undergraduate and graduate students, and early career professionals. Interns have the opportunity to work hands-on with Asian Art Museum professionals on unique projects across the museum.

We welcome qualified candidates from all backgrounds. Prior museum experience is not required. Students who are the first generation in their family to attend college, low-income, and bilingual in an Asian language are strongly encouraged to apply. Ideal candidates are enthusiastic to learn and eager to build connections with a diverse, lively community.

We offer the following internships throughout the year. When choosing an internship, please read these summaries and then reference the detailed explanations below for details.

• The Emerging Leaders Internship is a paid experience for college students. These internships are rooted in the Learning and Civic Engagement Department offering opportunities to work directly in museum education and public programs for multi-generational families.
• The Director’s Internship is a paid internship for college and graduate students that works on special projects within the office of Dr, Soyoung Lee, The Barbara Bass Baker Preseident and CEO of the Asian Art Museum. This internship works directly with Dr. Lee and is connected to all aspects of the museum.
• ArtSpeak is a paid internship that gives high school students the opportunity to learn, create, and connect by working directly with museum professionals and visitors from around the world.
• Department Specific internships are for college and graduate students and are for college credit. They are spread throughout the museum and give interns hands-on experiences and direct interaction with museum professionals.

All internships are either paid or for course credit through an accredited institution.

Emerging Leaders Internship

The Asian Art Museum invites dynamic, art-loving people to join us as full-time Museum Education and Public Programs Interns. Interns will gain hands-on experience while making a positive impact on museum guests from across the Bay Area and around the world. This internship offers genuine engagement for those seeking opportunities in art practice, museum education, art education, public programs, digital learning, and civic engagement. Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to centering and celebrating Asian/Asian American art and culture.

Internship periods:

Fall Cohort: Part-time, 18 weeks

Spring Cohort: Part-time, 18 weeks

Summer Cohort: Full-time, 9 weeks

For all cohorts, interns must be available for the full duration of the internship. Note that interns must be available on some Sundays.

What to Expect

This internship combines project-based learning, one-to-one mentorship, and weekly seminars with professionals from across the museum field. Interns will receive training on best practices in museum education and curriculum design. They will then embark on projects throughout the museum, gaining hands-on teaching experience with audiences of all ages and abilities along the way. Projects may include:

• Designing developmentally appropriate collection tours for K-12 audiences
• Developing and offering artmaking workshops for adult audiences
• Researching, selecting, and hosting Asian and Asian American luminaries at our public programs
• Creating curricular resources and other assets for our digital learning platforms
• Collaborating with marketing and communications to market programs

Interns will also learn from professionals across the museum through weekly seminars. Seminar activities may include special exhibition tours with curators, lunches with senior leadership, and talks from division heads across a variety of departments. Interns will also visit local museums and other cultural institutions across the Bay Area.

Eligibility

Interns must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in an accredited, degree-granting program at the time of their internship.

Compensation

Internship schedules may vary according to their focus and may include some evenings and weekends.

The Summer Emerging Leader Internship is full-time and receives a stipend of $6,000.
Academic year Emerging Leaders internships are part-time and will receive $3,000. All stipends are paid in two parts, at the start and end of the internship period.

Application Timelines

Fall Cohort:

• Applications open in July.
• All components of the application must be submitted by on/before 11:59 pm PST September 11th.
• Finalists will be contacted for an interview
• Decisions will be sent mid-September.

Spring Cohort:

• Applications open in September.
• All components of the application must be submitted by on/before 11:59 pm PST October 31st.
• Finalists will be contacted for an interview.
• Decisions will be sent in mid-December.

Summer Cohort

• Information Sessions will be held in January. Dates of these sessions and registration links will be posted on the Asian Art Museum Calendar.
• Applications will open in early January.
• All components of the application must be submitted on/before 11:59 pm PST on February 28th.
• Finalists will be contacted for an interview.
• Decisions will be sent in mid-April.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit:

1. A completed application form using the link provided below
2. Cover letter / essay that answers the following questions
3. Why do you seek an internship at the Asian Art Museum?
4. What do you hope to gain from the internship experience?
5. Academic transcript
6. One letter of recommendation from a professor or employer

Apply to the Emerging Leaders Internship

Director’s Internship

What to Expect

This internship is centered on specific projects as determined by Dr. Soyoung Lee, the President and CEO of the Asian Art Museum.

Interns will work in the director’s office, gaining unique insight into all the innerworkings of the museum. The experience will include special tours with curators, meaningful interactions with senior leadership, and talks from division heads across the museum.

Eligibility

Interns must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in an accredited, degree-granting program at the time of their internship.

Compensation

Internship schedules may vary according to the project focus and may include some evenings and weekends.

This is a paid internship. The stipend depends on the length of the project-based internship.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit:

• A completed application form using the link provided below
• Cover letter / essay that answers the following questions
• Why do you seek an internship at the Asian Art Museum?
• What do you hope to gain from your internship experience?
• One letter of recommendation from a professor or employer

ArtSpeak Internship

Are you passionate about Asian Art and Culture? Do you love creating with others? The ArtSpeak internship is open to high school students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. This paid internship is year-round and is renewable. Interns will learn about Asian art and cultural traditions, collaborate with local artists and arts organizations, conduct informational interviews with museum staff to explore careers in the arts, and develop leadership skills by devising art activities that they teach to museum visitors during our Sundays at The Asian Art Museum Program. (Additional college access programming is available to Juniors and Seniors, but it is not required.)

Internship Dates & Times

Summer Session: June 15th, 2026 – August 16th, 2026
Academic Year Session: September 7th, 2026 – May 31st 2027

ArtSpeak meets Thursdays 4–6PM and Sundays either 9AM–1PM or 1–5PM

(College access programming meets Tuesdays 5–6:30PM)

ArtSpeak Eligibility

We welcome qualified candidates from all backgrounds. Prior museum experience is not required. Students who are the first generation in their family to attend college, low-income, and bilingual in an Asian language are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with a commitment to accessibility, social justice, and museum equity are preferred. Ideal candidates are enthusiastic to learn and eager to build connections with a diverse, lively community.

ArtSpeak Compensation

ArtSpeak interns are paid a $300 stipend. These stipends are paid by semester and for the summer, depending on the intern’s participation. Interns are required to miss no more than three scheduled meeting times during the duration of the internship to receive their stipend.

Application Timeline

Applications will open in early February. All components of the application must be submitted on/before 11:59 pm PST on March 1st, 2026. Finalists will be contacted for an interview in mid-April. Decisions will be sent in mid-May.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit:

• A completed application form using the link provided below
• A maximum 250-word essay that answers why they wish to be an ArtSpeak intern and what they hope to get out of the experience.
• One letter of recommendation from a teacher or community leader

Department Specific Internships

Department Specific Internships are located throughout the museum. They offer hands-on experiences working directly with museum professionals. They are non-paid internships and are for credit through the intern’s university. All applicants to these internships must have permission from their university to earn college credit for their internship.

Eligibility

Interns must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in an accredited, degree-granting program at the time of their internship.

Application Timeline

Applications will open when a department in the museum has a project opportunity for an intern. Please check the careers page of the website to see available opportunities.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit:

• A completed application form
• Proof of the granting of college credit for internship experiences