Archives & Art Resources Intern

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.  

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.  

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution. 

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

SCHEDULE: Full Time, 35 hours/week, June 16 - August 15, 2025, approximately 3 days working onsite

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

The Archives and Art Resources (AAR) Department provides museum staff and audiences with the best possible access to information, media, and records related to art, artists, and SFMOMA’s program, encouraging creativity and multivariant experiences with modern and contemporary art. The department is accountable for supporting collections activities, content creation, management, and preservation, and integrating workflows and software applications to deliver comprehensive access and opportunities to research, activate, and experience art.

There are five branches within the AAR Department: collections information management, digital asset management, archives and records management, imaging, and intellectual property.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The AAR internship aims to provide the intern with a well-rounded experience and offers them an opportunity to learn more about the archives and information science professions. The AAR intern will work one-on-one with Archivist/Records Manager to continue a pilot project focused on centralizing access and contribution to object-related documentation for objects accessioned into the museum’s art collection in FY2025.

The intern will survey and inventory incoming born-digital documents, upload and describe documents into the museum’s digital asset management system and ensure incoming information about the object is reflected in the collection management system.  

PROJECT PLAN

Week 1: Get to know the SFMOMA Archives and Art Resources Department

· Learn about the SFMOMA Archives and Art Resources Department and its role at the museum 

· Meet the team and learn about each person’s role and path to SFMOMA 

Week 2: Learn about museum object records

· Learn about what constitutes an object record, and the past history and current use of object records at SFMOMA 

· Familiarize oneself about who contributes to object records and for what purposes 

Week 3: Receive training on the various systems and tools where museum object information and documentation are accessed 

· Learn about the systems and repositories that hold object information and assets: Morley (collections management system), Digital Garden (digital asset management system), Collections Connection Microsoft Teams site, and additional SharePoint and Network Drive locations 

· Understand how they all connect and how one will be using all those tools to preserve and provide broader access to object documentation 

Week 4-9: Compile digital object records 

· Produce inventories and file maps for object documentation identified for the digital object record 

· Prepare files for upload into the Digital Garden 

· Upload and describe files in the Digital Garden, and linking them to Morley 

· Draft new and/or update standards and procedures for collecting, organizing, uploading, and describing digital object records 

By the end of the internship, the AAR intern will have: 

· Gained experience in records management, processing, collections information management, and digital asset management in a museum context 

· Explored the integrated workflows within the Archives and Art Resources Department and the department with Curatorial, Registration, Conservation, Collections Management, Project Management, and Administration 

· Increased intellectual control of records with enduring historical value 

· Produced procedural documentation on archives, collections information, and digital asset management standards and processes 

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

· Gain experience working at the intersection of archives and records management in a museum context.

· Complete the processing of a seasons-worth of object documentation.

· Develop research, information management and problem-solving skills.

· Exercise communication and other soft skills required to work on cross-divisional and cross-departmental projects.

· Contribute to standards and procedures for describing object records

· Introduce the intern to core competencies of the archives and records management professions through a combination of the assigned project and mentoring.

ADDITIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMING

The Summer 2025 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.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

· Must be a current student in or recent graduate of a Masters-level program in library science, museum studies, or related program. The SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.

· Detail-oriented, extremely organized with project management skills 

· Proficiency with MS Office, SharePoint, and database software 

**Current SFMOMA employees are not eligible to apply for the Summer 2025 internship.**

The position’s workspace is divided between the museum’s Third Street location and its Collection Center in South San Francisco dependent on assigned projects.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

· Completed application via SFMOMA's job site

· Resume

· Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest. 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 former employer.

· College transcript: Transcripts can be unofficial but need to be legible.

Application Deadline: March 14, 2025

You do not need separate letters of recommendation for each intern application - please just let each of the recommenders know which internships (up to 3) you're applying to and we'll review those two letters across all of your internship applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street. 

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at talent@sfmoma.org.