Kentucky State Park Announces Paid Museum Internship For 2026

John James Audubon State Park is offering a paid internship for 2026 that gives participants the chance to work directly with the John James Audubon Museum’s Curator while gaining hands-on museum experience.

The opportunity is being made available through the Friends of Audubon and is geared toward individuals interested in museum work, photography, history, or behind-the-scenes collections management.

A Hands-On Museum Experience

The internship is designed as an 80-hour program and will take place primarily in person at the museum. While there may be limited opportunities for remote work, interns should expect most responsibilities to be completed onsite during weekday hours. Start and end dates will be scheduled based on availability, with the program beginning shortly after the application deadline.

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What Interns Will Work On

Interns will assist with preparing the museum’s collection for digitization and possible online publication, an increasingly important step in preserving and sharing historical materials. Responsibilities will also include photographing objects, organizing digital files, and helping standardize records within the museum’s collections management system.

Additional projects may be assigned depending on museum needs, offering a broader look at daily museum operations.

Who Should Apply

Previous museum experience is not required for this position. While experience with object photography is preferred, it is not mandatory. The ideal candidate is someone who works well independently and as part of a team, pays close attention to detail, and has strong organizational and computer skills. An interest in history or museum work is considered a plus.

Training And Career Skills

Interns will receive training on CatalogIt, the museum’s collections management system. By the end of the program, participants can expect to have practical experience in object photography, digital collections management, and museum workflows that can be applied to future careers in cultural institutions or related fields.

Pay And Application Details

The internship includes a $1,000 stipend paid upon completion of the program, equivalent to $12.50 per hour for the 80-hour commitment, according to the post made on Facebook.

Applications must be submitted by Monday, February 9. Interested candidates should email a resume, references, and samples of photographic work if available to the Museum Curator at connor.humphrey@ky.gov.

This internship is supported through generous funding from Martin Sidor and the Friends of Audubon. Questions about the position can be directed to the Museum Curator using the same email address.