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2026 Krueger Summer Internship

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

The Peter A. Krueger Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate students the unique opportunity to develop professional skills and learn about museum practices at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Interns will gain in-depth knowledge and an enriched understanding of how the museum fulfills its mission to educate, inspire, and empower people through design. Explore the 2026 Peter A. Krueger Internship details and offerings at www.cooperhewitt.org/internship-department-descriptions/.

2025 Peter A. Krueger Summer Internship Overview

Dates: June 8–August 14, 2026 (10 weeks, 35 hours/week)
Stipend: $6,000
Format: In-person
Location: Onsite at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate program at the time of application. All individuals participating in a Smithsonian internship must be eligible to work in the United States.
Questions? Please email chinternships@si.edu.

How to apply

Submit your application materials through the SOLAA portal. Once you create an account, select “Start Your Application” at the top of the page and search for “Peter A. Krueger Summer Internship” in the program name field.

Application deadline: Monday, February 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time)
Notification: By mid-April 2026

Required application materials:

Resume
3 short essay responses
- Please explain why you are interested in an internship at Cooper Hewitt. Include your preferred placement, relevant past experiences, what you hope to accomplish during the internship, and/or your future academic and career goals. (500 words max)
- How would you describe the difference between art and design to a museum visitor? (200 words max)
- Explore Cooper Hewitt’s collection online (https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/). Find an object that interests or inspires you and tell us why. You can select from the featured objects or one of your choosing. (200 words max)
1 letter of recommendation
Unofficial transcript
Graphic Design Intern Candidates ONLY: Include a brief PDF portfolio of up to 10 pages or link to your online portfolio with your essay responses.

Application notes:

Late applications, including recommendation letters, will not be accepted.
Short essay responses: Upload as a single PDF, including a copy of each prompt before your response.
Letter of recommendation: You will provide contact information for your recommender in the application portal. Be sure to select “email referee” to notify your recommender. Your recommender will receive email instructions on how to submit their recommendation letter through the portal. Recommendation letters must be submitted directly by the recommender by the application deadline. We suggest notifying your recommender and completing this step as soon as possible. You will be able to log in and check the status of whether your recommendation letter has been submitted, even after you’ve submitted your application. We suggest following up with your recommender as needed. Letters received after the deadline will not be accepted.
Remove any passwords or other protections from your files before uploading.
Skills and qualifications noted are encouraged but not required. We welcome your application even if you don’t meet all the qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Smithsonian Institution does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Job Seekers with Disabilities

Smithsonian provides a reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate.