Internship Sites
Internship sites change from quarter to quarter. Here are a few of our current opportunities.
To apply, please see our application page.
El Pueblo de Los Angeles
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is near the site of the early Los Angeles pueblo or town where forty-four settlers of Native American, African and European heritage journeyed more than one-thousand miles across the desert from present-day northern Mexico and established a farming community in September 1781. Since that time, Los Angeles has been under the flags of Spain, Mexico, and the United States and has grown into one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas.
Today, as a department of the City of Los Angeles, El Pueblo is a living museum that continues to fulfill its unique role as the historic and symbolic heart of the city. It attracts over 2 million visitors annually who are eager to view the free museums and attractions.
For more information, please see https://elpueblo.lacity.gov/about-us
Activity
The social media intern will create historical content for El Pueblo’s social media outlets. Activities include:
- Researching the history of El Pueblo and selecting relevant stories for promotion
- Storytelling using social media
- Creating content to promote the museums and sites that are part of El Pueblo
- Promoting events
- Creating historical content using artefacts and museum objects
- Communicating histories not related to specific museums or sites (like Biddy Mason’s story)
- Working closely with museum guides to help create content
- Working with El Pueblo’s history department and social media manager
This position is hybrid. The intern is expect to be onsite at least once per week, and remaining hours can be completed remotely.
Supervisor: Priscilla Bravo-Hart
Application requires cover letter, resume and writing sample.
Community Engagement Intern
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Community, Westwood
In 2028, the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, a Roman Catholic parish also known as St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Community will celebrate the centennial of its founding. Since 1928, the parish has served generations of Catholics and non-Catholics in West Los Angeles. Originally founded for the pastoral care of the UCLA community and those in the entertainment industry, we seek to engage our parish and Westwood community by telling the history of that community.
Entrusted to the Paulist Fathers from its beginning, the parish has developed a rich history that intersects with the growth of Westwood, the development of UCLA, and our city. In addition, the ministry at the parish led to the founding of the parish school, St. Paul the Apostle School in 1935, Paulist Productions, our film production company, and the University Catholic Center at UCLA.
As we prepare for this milestone, we hope to preserve and interpret our history as we look toward the future. We envision a history and media project to engage parishioners and the Westwood community telling the story of our community primarily through short videos suitable for sharing on social media and other platforms.
Goals of the internship:
- Conduct research utilizing parish, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and Paulist archives tracing the history of the parish for website and social media publication.
- With our communications staff, produce oral history interviews with parishioners and current students, LGBTQ+ parishioners, film industry parishioners, Paulist Fathers, school alumni, teachers, musicians, community partners, and staff for social media.
- Create a digital timeline for the parish suitable for social media.
- Begin the planning of an historical exhibit for the centennial year.
Dates/Hours:
Intern will work closely with our Communications Assistant, the Pastor, 8-10 hours per week for 10 weeks during the Fall Quarter, 2026.
Compensation: This is a paid internship. Hourly rate to be confirmed.
Internship supervisor: Father Gil Martinez
Mission San Gabriel Museum and Archive
As the oldest historical site in Los Angeles County and home to the oldest museum in the Los Angeles Basin, Mission San Gabriel is committed to sharing the histories of the Native Americans, missionaries, and pobladores who built and lived at Mission San Gabriel from the 1770s through the 1850s and beyond.
With a new main exhibit installed in the museum in 2023 and a stunning renovation of the chapel after a devastating fire in 2020, the historical exhibits of Mission San Gabriel are the result of a collaboration between the Gabrieleno, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and historians and other scholars.
Activity
Internships will focus on supporting the ongoing initiative to catalog, organize and study the mission’s considerable collection of paintings, sculpture, rare books, textiles, photographs, Native American artifacts, and other materials stored on site. Many of the materials in the collection date to the 17th century with some objects dating to the 16th century.
Qualifications
Mission San Gabriel seeks two individuals who are self-directed, historically curious, and detail oriented. Knowledge of Spanish language and the history of New Spain and the California missions is a plus but is not required.
Curatorial Internship at the Skirball Cultural Center
- Perform object research using primary and secondary sources
- Update the collection database with research findings
- Write and edit museum text labels
- Learn how to handle and closely analyze objects in collection storage
- Help assess possible acquisitions and object donations
- Attend and participate in department meetings and shadow other staff in the Museum department to gain familiarity with the work and functions of other curators working on upcoming temporary exhibitions, registrars, designers, preparators, and administrators
- Interest in Jewish culture and history
- Desire to build a career in the arts
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Superior research skills
- Ability to problem-solve independently and collaborate with others
- Meticulous attention to detail, especially with written materials
- Strong organizational skills
- Fluency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
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Must be able to commute to and from the Skirball independently (transportation not provided)
The Living New Deal
The Living New Deal is looking for a student intern to help with research for our project called “Making the New Deal Visible in Los Angeles”. We are mapping all the public works and public art the New Deal put in place across metropolitan Los Angeles from 1933 to 1942 (civic buildings, schools, parks, streets, waterworks, murals, sculptures, etc.). It is a fascinating treasure hunt in two ways: many of these works are still in place today but good records of their origins are not. The intern will need to visit local archives and New Deal sites, as well as do online research. Supervision and guidance will be provided by LND Director in the Bay Area and an L.A.-based Researcher, but candidates must enjoy working independently.
Further info:https://livingnewdeal.org/
Museum of Social Justice
The Museum of Social Justice & Education Center are home to a series of diverse Public Programs and Education Initiatives. Revolving Exhibitions showcase the history of Los Angeles and social change from the perspective of the poor, minorities, and other marginalized groups. This is an excellent internship for students interested in education as it pertains to history.
Activity
Internships will focus on the following two areas, which can be adjusted according to student interests and learning objectives:
- Museum education projects. Students will develop remote learning modules to accompany our exhibitions. An intern could choose a previous or upcoming exhibition that interests them and develop a project that educators could use in their classrooms. These projects can range from creative artistic explorations of the topic to more traditional worksheets, scavenger hunts, etc. Prospective interns can check out educational materials developed as part of previous exhibitions to get an idea of what they’d be doing. The website is www.hmuseumofsocialjustice.org. See especially the exhibition pages for the Thai El Monte, New Black City, and Goodwill exhibitions.
- On-line resources. The Museum attempts to offer helpful information on our website and social media platforms on ongoing social justice struggles. An intern could choose an issue that is important to them, research and curate resources on that topic, and offer them in a useful way to our followers. For instance, a previous intern has focused on talking with children about racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement.
- Interactive exhibition design. On-site interns will help design an interactive component for the upcoming exhibition Deported Veterans. This would be an on-site interactive component that’s part of the physical exhibition, something targeted at youth to help them better understand the issues raised in the exhibition.
Contact
Website: https://www.museumofsocialjustice.org/
Museum of Tolerance, Education Outreach & Communication Intern
Description: The Youth Education and Communications teams at the Museum of Tolerance are seeking a shared intern. This intern will work across the two departments on collaborative projects related to outreach for the Museum’s programmatic offerings.
Tasks will include:
– Research to identify potential community partners, new partnering schools, and other external stakeholders
– Creating outreach lists with contact information relevant to a variety of Museum programs
– Working with Communications Coordinator, draft and prepare materials for outreach
– As needed, send out outreach materials and provide hands-on support
– As needed, observe and/or assist with specified programs and events at the Museum
The Intern will be asked to work in-person, on-site at the Museum of Tolerance, on a schedule to be determined with supervisors.
Desired skills:
– Ability to work independently and be self-directed
– Strong, clear communication abilities
– Interest in learning about Museum programming and communications
– Attention to detail and receptiveness to feedback
Address letter to Emily Sasz, Program Coordinator, Volunteer Services, Museum of Tolerance
Holocaust Museum LA
Founded by Holocaust Survivors in 1961, Holocaust Museum LA is the oldest museum of its kind in the United States. The founding Survivors insisted that everyone be given the opportunity to learn and no visitor would ever be turned away because of an entry fee. Through programs that value intergenerational dialogue and artifact- based learning, Holocaust Museum LA continues its mission to commemorate, educate, and inspire.
Archival Internship:
The preservation of historical documents and artifacts is a crucial practice in understanding, teaching, and learning from history. Holocaust Museum LA is committed to the preservation and retention of artifacts in both physical and digital format. The Museum strives to make its collection accessible online, transitioning and maintaining a catalogue of primary sources on a digital platform, and providing free public access to this platform as a resource for scholars, teachers and students. The Museum’s online archival database provides digital access to these important resources and receives visitors from around the world.
The Museum’s internship program invites qualified candidates to learn about the Holocaust, as well as the way in which a museum operates, specifically related to the archives. Working virtually or in person, interns will learn and assist with the various methods and steps required to process, digitize, preserve, and catalog artifacts in an environment dedicated to Holocaust history and education. Interns will have the opportunity to work research, organize and catalog both newly donated artifacts, as well as those within the museum’s existing collection.
Duties:
- Record and digitize new acquisitions for the Museum’s collection
- Assist staff in various tasks related to the administration and cataloguing of the physical records relating to the Museum’s archive and collection
- Provide research assistance for Museum exhibits and social media postings as needed
Internship Qualifications:
Required:
- Enrollment in undergraduate or graduate program, preferably with a focus in history, library studies or museum studies
- Interest in archival methods and research
- Strong written communication skills, including a knowledge of editing and composition
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel
Preferred:
- Interest in Holocaust and 20th-century European history
- Social media skills
- Fluency in: German, Polish, Dutch, French, Russian, or Hungarian
**Please note, a writing sample is required for this internship: excerpt from a paper written in college**
Contact
Website: holocaustmuseumLA.org
100 S. The Grove
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Fowler Museum
Project Description: Transcribing Provenance at the Fowler Museum
The Fowler Museum’s Mellon African Art Initiative team is seeking a detail-oriented, organized intern to assist in ongoing efforts to reunite objects with their provenance. The intern will work with the collection of material that came to the museum in 1965–67 as part of the gift from the Wellcome Trust. While the Mellon team has been able to transcribe the provenance for the African material, the works from the Americas and the Pacific still require attention.
In addition to the 195 internship course requirements, Interns will be responsible for the following:
- Transcribe archival cataloging cards into a spreadsheet
- Research subsequent provenance data points, which could include assembling collectors’ biographies or searching for prior auction sales records
- Participate in discussions with Mellon team about database organization and terminology (e.g. how do we best record provenance?)
- Flag any works needing further attention (e.g. possible candidates for repatriation)
- Attend bi-weekly check ins with Mellon team
As part of this experience, interns will also have the opportunity to meet with many other Fowler departments to learn about many aspects of labor that go into museum work. Internship will be mostly in-person with limited opportunities for remote work.
Contact
Website: https://fowler.ucla.edu/
Center for the Study of Political Graphics
The Center for the Study of Political Graphics (CSPG) is an educational and research archive that collects, preserves, documents, and exhibits posters relating to historical and contemporary movements for social change. Using its more than 90,000 human rights and protest posters and prints, CSPG creates traveling and online thematic exhibitions, and publications. CSPG is advancing the power of art to educate and inspire people to action.
Activity:
This is an archival internship. It is anticipated the the internship will take place in person. CSPG’s Intern will receive training in some or all of the following tasks:
- Create and update folder-level archival descriptions of CSPG’s political posters to improve accessibility of CSPG’s online finding aid. This includes analyzing, organizing and recording details about the posters, such as main topics, keywords, and creators.
- Research artistic and social justice issues as they relate to works in the collection.
- File and store historical posters using basic preservation methods to ensure their long term protection.
- Minimally catalog collection items in the collection management system, to prepare the materials for digitization.
Contact: https://www.politicalgraphics.org/
Secure your own Internship
In addition to interning with our institutional partners listed above, students can secure their own internships and receive HistoryCorps credit. If you have applied for your own internship, please contact the Center for Community Learning directly to enroll in HIST 195CE. Requirements and the enrollment process are outlined here.
Summer Internships
We do not run HistoryCorps during the summer. However, many students apply for and secure their own internships.
Can I get credit? Yes! Please apply directly to an institution for the internship. If you are accepted, you can enroll in 195CE to get academic credit. The enrollment process is managed by the Center for Community Engagement. Click here for further details.
Special Programs and Paid Internships
The following opportunities may be of interest to history students. They are not administered by or affiliated with the UCLA History Department.
Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internships
Aiming to encourage greater diversity in the professions related to museums and the visual arts, the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program in Los Angeles supports substantive, full-time summer work opportunities for college undergraduates from backgrounds that have traditionally been underrepresented in the arts. Since the program began in 1993, 161 local arts institutions, including the Getty, have hosted over 3,300 interns, exposing students to career possibilities in the arts.
More information here.
Teach For America Opportunities
More info here.
- Full-time employment after graduation
- Full-time teaching, salary + benefits, alternative path to a teacher certification, all majors welcome, combat education inequity
- Virtual part-time employment for the Spring or Fall: https://tfaignite.org/
- Part-time tutoring, 3-5 hours a week, 100% through Zoom, 3rd grade reading or middle school math, 12 weeks, $1200 stipend upon completion, all majors and years welcome, combat learning loss
- Want us to send you these applications or stay updated on paid summer fellowship opportunities or fall opportunities? Sign up here (you can unsubscribe at any time): bit.ly/UCLAContactMe