Smithsonian Folklife & Cultural Heritage Intern (Summer 2026)

February 23, 2026

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Summer Internship Deadline: March 1 Every year, the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage involves over a hundred interns in our various activities. We offer internships year-round in various fields, including folklore, cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology, linguistics, museum studies, arts administration, graphic and web design, videography, marketing, social media, and library science. Most internships take place in Washington, D.C. Intern projects, conducted under the guidance of the Center’s professional staff, often focus on research and production for the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives, educational outreach, and cultural sustainability research and programs. Eligibility: Internships are available to high school students, undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as non-students, including working professionals and career changers. Open to both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens. The duration ranges from eight weeks to sixteen weeks and can be either full-time (32-40 hours/week) or part-time (16-24 hours/week). Students specializing in fields such as folklore, American studies, history, music, library science, or related disciplines may have the opportunity to earn course credit for their participation. <div class="field field--name-field-how-to-apply field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">How to Apply</div> <div class="field__items"> <ul> <li>Create account or log in to <a class="ext" href="https://solaa.si.edu/solaa/#/public" rel="noreferrer" data-extlink="">SOLAA(link is external)</a></li> <li>Click Start Application Button at top of Screen</li> <li>Search for the Program: Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage</li> <li>Click “Apply Now”</li> </ul> You will be required to upload supporting materials, including an essay, résumé, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. The submission deadline for summer internships is March 1. Applications for other seasons (Fall, Winter and Spring) can be submitted at any time. However, completed applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the internship’s start date. </div> </div> Tagged as: Anthropology, Archives, Communication, Cultural Heritage, Folklife, Graphic Design, Hybrid, Internship Program, Library Science, Marketing, Museum Studies, Smithsonian, Social Media, Virtual, Washington DC

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