internships

Undergraduates in the Art Conservation program at the University of Delaware are encouraged to pursue summer and winter internships in order to cultivate a familiarity with the museum field. From the documentation and treatment of dresses from the early twentieth century to participating in the operation of an art gallery in Italy, our students have explored the endless avenues of opportunity that cultural, historic, and artistic institutions can provide to those eager to learn. Internships help students develop the valuable skills necessary to be responsible custodians of cultural heritage through their active participation in the care and preservation of material culture.Two internships are required to be taken for credit for the major. We recommend your first internship experience is ARTC 464, and with one of our faculty members on campus or at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.

Internal internship topics have included:

• Book conservation
• Ceramics conservation
• Glass conservation
• Metals conservation
• Objects conservation
• Organic objects conservation
• Natural history objects conservation
• Paintings conservation
• Paper conservation
• Photograph conservation
• Textile conservation

Internship obligations:

• At least 85 hours for 3 credits
• Complete a reflection journal/daybookReflection journal
• ​Write an internship summary or blogpost including photos and examples of documentation or work completed​​

Recent Student Internship Experiences

• Morrigan Kelley attended a workshop on log-building conservation in the Grand Tetons.
  
• Francine Mancuso interned with the Historical Odessa Foundation in Delaware studying conservation techniques and practices under the guidance of the institution's head conservator, Betty Fiske.
  
• Yulimar Luna Colon acted as a teaching assistant for the Photography Preservation Workshop in Puerto Rico alongside Debra Hess Norris.
  

Finding Internships

American Institute for Conservation Member Community Job Board

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (Facebook page)

Global Conservation Forum

Global Museum

Handshake – University of Delaware job board

Jobs Desk, University of Leicester Museum Studies Program

JobHQ, American Alliance of Museums

Museum Jobs

MuseWeekly - University of Delaware Museum Studies Program 

University of Delaware Art Conservation Department Internships Board

USAJOBS – government jobs​

You can also email your art conservation department advisor, the undergraduate art conservation director, and the CAS Internship Coordinator, Lois Stoehr for advice!