Background
Founded in 1985 by category-defying artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum (now known as The Noguchi Museum), was the first museum in the United States to be established, designed, and installed by a living artist to show their own work. Located in Long Island City, Queens, the Museum itself is widely viewed as among the artist’s greatest achievements.
The Education Department at The Noguchi Museum supports visitors of all ages, identities, and abilities as they establish meaningful relationships with the art, life, and vision of Isamu Noguchi and others. Education programs encourage openness, exploration, and experimentation; and emphasize a co-creation model where culture is dynamic, it belongs to everyone, and cultural choices are shared between the community and the Museum. Programs are facilitated in multiple languages, currently English, Japanese, and Spanish, and are designed to be welcoming and accessible to neighbors in Queens and beyond.
Details
INTERNS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM.
Overview
The Education Intern will work closely with full-time and part-time department staff to support summer programming, with an emphasis on Making Your Mark, a studio art-making intensive for rising junior and senior high school students. 2025 is The Noguchi Museum’s 40th anniversary year of the Museum’s opening in 1985, and in conjunction with this celebration, the internship project will focus on researching and writing about the history and impact of teen programs on the Museum’s surrounding community.
The internship will involve researching past projects at The Noguchi Museum initiated by teens, conducting oral history interviews with current and former Education staff, and gathering stories from teen programs participants and alumni. At the conclusion of the internship, a written narrative and slide presentation of the oral history interviews and research findings will be shared with the Education Department and all Museum staff.
Education Intern
Responsibilities
The Intern will:
Provide hands-on support for youth, teen and community programs in the galleries and studio including assisting with set up and clean up.
Support the Manager of Education in administrative tasks related to programming including scheduling visits, registration and check-in, and participant evaluations.
Conduct independent research on the history, impact, and vision of the Museum's teen programs.
Create and co-edit an interview template with 3-5 questions for oral history interviews with former Education staff members and teen programs alumni.
Consolidate interview transcripts into a 15–20 page summary in Google Docs, collaborating with department staff to edit and develop the written narrative.
Participate in regular, recurring department meetings to keep staff informed about research progress and to reflect on learning and work experience.
Create and deliver an in-depth, 15–20 minute Google Slides presentation on the oral history interviews and research findings, to be presented to the Education department and Museum staff.
Requirements, Skills, and Qualifications
Excellent verbal communication, research, and writing skills
Strong interest in museum education and the life and work of Isamu Noguchi.
Desire to engage with the Museum’s diverse public and specifically, youth, and teen audiences
Passion for centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in all aspects of their learning and work.
Basic computer skills and familiarity with Google Workspace.
Compensation
$22.50 per hour
INTERNS WILL WORK 28 HOURS PER WEEK AND ATTEND A MANDATORY OFFSITE PROGRAM DAY ONE DAY PER WEEK WITH THEIR COHORT.
Internship Period: June 3 – August 5
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: Onsite; 4 days per week, 9AM–5PM, weekend days as required
PROGRAM DAY:
On Fridays, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Arts Intern 2025, you must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree and:
Currently enrolled as a full-time rising junior (a current sophomore)
– or –Currently enrolled as a full-time junior – or –
Currently enrolled as a full-time senior graduating by fall 2025.
You must either reside or attend college in New York City.
Click HERE to apply now!