Museum Collections Management Intern

The Henry Ford is a nonprofit organization, an internationally recognized cultural destination, and a one-of-a-kind workplace. Our team is inspired daily by one another as well as the authentic stories of innovation that we share across our four venues. 

The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative (FFEI) Internship Program is a cohort program that offers professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities. We invite candidates from diverse backgrounds who are curious about careers in the museum field to become part of our legacy and carry it forward.

Interested candidates will submit a brief statement of purpose (250-500 words) outlining:

• Why they are interested in this internship
• How this opportunity aligns with their academic, personal, or career goals
• The skills, experiences, or perspectives they would bring to the team
• What they hope to learn and accomplish during the internship

The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative Internship Program Overview and Time Commitment 

The FFEI Internship Program’s mission is to offer opportunities in museum work to emerging professionals who identify with historically marginalized groups and to invite our interns to think outside the box and explore their careers in new ways.

Participants will engage in the program through various bi-weekly professional development workshops hosted on our Dearborn campus. Bi-weekly workshop attendance and participation are mandatory. Applicants should work with their leadership to ensure proper attendance. Workshops typically occur on Wednesdays during the work week. As part of your employment, we also have our interns participate in an end of cohort survey. 

Note: All candidates interested in FFEI Internship roles must have full Wednesday (9am-5pm) availability due to bi-weekly workshop programmatic requirements of the internship. 

The 15-week Winter 2027 internship runs January 25–May 7, 2027. Attendance at orientation on January 25 is mandatory.

The Museum Collections Management intern will help document, care for, and store artifacts, with a focus on The Henry Ford's ceramics collection. Working under the guidance of the Collections Management staff, the intern will help move selected objects into a specially designed storage space, update collection records, and learn safe artifact handling practices. The intern will also assist with data standardization, location updates, tagging, and collections problem solving within the collections database. Throughout the project, the intern will coordinate with members of the Collections Management, Registration, and Historical Resources teams to ensure tasks are completed on schedule. This internship offers hands-on experience with museum collections, storage methods, and documentation standards.

Under the direction of the supervisor, the intern will conduct research, update catalog records, photographs, clean, and rehouse artifacts. Through inventory work, the intern will learn how to safely handle and track collections across campus. The intern will also support data standardization in the collections database, location updates, tagging, and problem solving.

This internship offers a unique opportunity to build practical experience in museum data entry standards, storage techniques, artifact cleaning, and the care of museum collections. There is the potential for this project to be extended into future cohorts.

Essential Responsibilities

• Research artifacts and review existing documentation to support accurate catalog records
• Enter and update object descriptions, inventory information, and locations in the collections database
• Assist staff with cleaning, photography, handling, moving, and rehousing artifacts as part of the ceramics project
• Organize and maintain artifacts and historical materials in processing and storage areas
• Track artifact locations and bring discrepancies or condition concerns to the supervisor’s attention
• Work with Collections Management, Registration, and other Historical Resources staff to complete project tasks
• Participate in required internship orientation and professional development activities

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a college or university program in history, museum studies, library and information science, preservation, or a related field
• Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
• Wednesday availability for required internship programming
• Experience handling materials such as ceramics, metals, paper, or textiles
   

Special Skills

• Strong attention to detail when handling objects and entering collections information
• Ability to organize work, follow procedures, and maintain accurate records
• Clear verbal and written communication and the ability to work with staff across teams
• Curiosity about historical objects and how museums care for them
• Care and sound judgment when handling historical and valuable objects
• Ability to learn and navigate any collections management database

Physical/Mental/Environmental

Physical: The role involves standing, walking, and carefully handling and moving artifacts. Some tasks may involve lifting objects weighing up to 30 pounds and using a ladder under six feet, following staff direction and established handling procedures; dexterity

Mental: Requires concentration, attention to detail, careful record keeping, and sound judgment when working with collections

Environment: Work is performed onsite in collections processing and storage areas on The Henry Ford’s Dearborn campus

Internship Program Compensation

Interns are paid under the following paygrades:

• First year intern in school (undergraduate or trade): $17.00  
• First year intern with completed degree (undergraduate or trade): $18.00
• Graduate school and postgraduates: $20.00