Join our museum team to put your passion for art, history and culture to work. Education, curatorial, and administrative staff are based at the museum in downtown Washington, D.C., while collections staff are based at GW’s Virginia Science and Technology Campus.
GW values staff, students and volunteers of different races, ethnicities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, immigration statuses and abilities, all of whom contribute their own experiences and aspirations to our team.
Visit the GW Jobs website to search for current opportunities and learn about GW's benefits, values and more.
Student Opportunities
As part of its commitment to education, the museum offers a variety of hands-on learning opportunities and career training for students, including jobs, work study, course credit and more.
GW students can apply for part-time paid positions on GW’s Student Employment website. We seek applicants with a professional attitude, flexibility, sense of commitment and the ability to work under deadlines. Students work closely with the museum’s professional staff on daily tasks and long-term projects, and participate in monthly staff meetings and other museum-wide activities.
We also welcome inquiries year-round from students at GW and other universities who are interested in learning experiences at the museum. We will work with you to identify meaningful opportunities designed around your individual professional goals and course credit requirements. The following museum departments are currently accepting inquiries from students.
The Arthur D. Jenkins Library is a non-circulating library that offers resources for scholars and the public on textile history and global dress. Students can participate in collection assessment, resource description and processing, marketing, and the library’s digital repository initiative.
To inquire about student opportunities, email librarian Tracy Meserve with your cover letter and resume.
The Collections Management Department ensures the stewardship, safety and care of the museum collections. Students will gain experience in basic collections management practices and protocols, including processing incoming objects, object inventory, environmental monitoring and integrated pest management, condition reporting, database management and digital imaging.
Application deadlines:
Fall semester: July 1
Spring semester: November 1
Summer semester: April 1
The Conservation Department provides care for the 21,000 artworks in The Textile Museum Collection. Students must be enrolled in, or a recent graduate of a recognized conservation program, with basic experience in textile storage, treatment, condition reporting and exhibition preparation. Under special circumstances, experienced collections management professionals may apply. Students will receive training in techniques of storing, mounting and treating textiles.
The Curatorial Department oversees research, care and interpretation of the collections; coordinates exhibitions and publications; and supports public programs. Students work with The Textile Museum Collection and the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection—contributing to exhibition research and planning, as well as collections documentation for online publication. Students will also learn the basics of textile identification and care.
Application deadlines:
Fall semester: July 1
Spring semester: November 1
Summer semester: April 1
The Curatorial Department oversees research, care and interpretation of the collections; coordinates exhibitions and publications; and supports public programs. Students work with the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection—collaborating closely with the curator on collections research and documentation, as well as exhibition research and planning as needed.
To inquire about student opportunities, email Amber "Jackie" Streker with your cover letter and resume.
The Development Department supports the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of the museum’s members and donors. Students assist with membership mailings, grant proposals, stewardship reports, event planning, prospect research and database management.
To inquire about student opportunities, email Danielle Tyson with your cover letter and resume.
Volunteer
Join our team of dedicated volunteers and help bring exceptional cultural learning opportunities and experiences to the public.
Our volunteers are essential to the museum and contribute in a number of ways. Docents make a weekly commitment to training, enrichment and tours. Program volunteers typically provide hands-on help once a month. Volunteers in the Arthur D. Jenkins Library help with updating the catalog, processing the collection and shelving books. Occasionally, the museum also has administrative volunteer needs.
Current Openings
There are no volunteer openings at this time.
