Curatorial: Photography (Gordon Parks/1963) Intern

Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, Monday, June 15 - Friday, August 14, at least three days working onsite

Department Description

One of the first American museums to recognize photography as an art form, SFMOMA’s photography collection encompasses work from daguerreotypes made in the first years of the medium’s existence to digital imagery produced by experimental contemporary artists. The largest collecting area in the museum, photography has been an integral part of SFMOMA since its founding in 1935, due to the formative presence of Bay Area artists such as Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Edward Weston, and Imogen Cunningham.

SFMOMA’s pioneering commitment to photography continues today, even as the definition of the medium continues to evolve. By bringing together all of its forms – prints, projections, and installations – we aim to propose a fresh approach to exhibiting photography at SFMOMA, one that embraces the inherently modern and democratic qualities of photography in the current era.

Position Description

Working closely with Photography department staff, the curatorial intern will focus on research and writing on photography in the year 1963 as it related to the artist Gordon Parks. The intern will conduct research on Parks’ multifaceted career, compiling an annotated bibliography of his books as well as his projects in other media. Focusing on Parks' life in the year 1963, the intern will build out a timeline of Parks' travels, projects, and major personal and professional events. The intern will also identify Parks’ contemporaries within the photography department collection and compile lists of other photographs taken in 1963. Related research will include assessing SFMOMA artist files for Parks’ contemporaries. The intern will also conduct research in archives and write summaries and lists on events and exhibitions that took place in 1963 at SFMOMA and fellow local institutions.     

Project Plan

The Curatorial Intern, Photography will perform research, scan archival material, and compile summaries and timelines. They will construct a detailed timeline of Gordon Parks’ movements, projects, and life events in 1963. In addition, they will compile an annotated bibliography on Parks books. The intern will put together lists of local events and exhibitions during 1963 as well as artist and artwork lists from SFMOMA’s permanent collection related to that year.   

Educational Objectives

· Engage with scholarship on Gordon Parks and civil rights photography. They will be mentored on best research practices, how to use archives and databases effectively, strategies and sources for finding scholarship, as well as on how to keep information organized and accessible for the future.

· Gain an understanding of early-stage planning for acquisitions and exhibitions.

· Learn about working in a large arts organization and accessions/collections practices

· Gain exposure to information useful for further academic study in and related fields

· Sharpen research, writing, and organizational skills, and apply Photography, Art History, American Studies, African American Studies background to various museum projects and initiatives.

Additional Internship Programming

The Summer 2026 Internship will offer 9-weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

Requirements 

· Recent or current graduate student in African American or Ethnic Studies, Curatorial Studies, Art History or related field with a demonstrable focus on Photography. The SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.  

· If you are a current employee of the SFMOMA applying for an internship, you must be a current student or a recent graduate, within 6 months of the internship start date.  

· Ideal candidate will be detail-oriented and have strong research, writing, and organizational skills and the ability to communicate clearly

· Familiarity with 20th century art history and African American history, with a focus on photography

· Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of the team and show intellectual curiosity and the ability to manage time efficiently and set priorities to complete projects.

· Proficient with standard office equipment and current technologies and software, including Microsoft Office Suite.

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$7,000 pre-tax stipend paid out in a one-lump sum after start date

*TAX WITHHOLDING: For certain non-US residents and non-CA residents, any payments that constitute taxable income under U.S. tax law may be subject to up to 30% federal and 7% state tax withholding (or the current applicable rates), and so any payments you receive may be reduced accordingly. Please consult with your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of your stipend from this internship.

Application Requirements

· Intern application on SFMOMA job site

· Resume, in PDF format

· Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest, in PDF format

  · Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.

· Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or current/former employer, in PDF format

· College/university transcript, in PDF format

· Transcripts can be unofficial but must be legible

  · If you are currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program, please provide the transcript for your current program, not your undergraduate transcript

Application Deadline: February 28, 2026

Please note: You only need two letters of recommendation total, not separate letters for each internship. If you apply to multiple internships (up to three), simply inform your recommenders which positions you’re applying for. We’ll review the same two letters across all your applications.