Education: Family Programs Intern

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.  

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.  

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution. 

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, Monday, June 15 - Friday, August 14, at least three days working onsite (including Sundays)

This internship requires availability Sunday through Thursday.

Department Description

The Education Department at SFMOMA is a department of pedagogical and cultural programming with a commitment to lifelong learning, the artists and ideas of our time, and exploring the meaning of art for public life. It comprises program areas that span K-12, educator activities, school visits, family activities, talks, screenings, student symposia, and exhibitions. 

Position Description

This internship is ideal for someone who would like to learn the inside and out of programming for the museum’s youngest audience and their adult counterparts in a museum context. Under the guidance of the Manager of Educator Engagement and the Senior Program Specialist, Family Programs, the Family Programs Intern will work on the development, preparation and facilitation of Family Sundays programs and resources. They will also conduct qualitative and quantitative research to determine audience response and impact of Family Sundays, including impact of marketing efforts (social media, email, website, word of mouth), to present at the completion of the 9 weeks. 

In addition, they will also continue research started in 2024 based on the general history of the Education Department from the past 10 years, looking at ways that content can be archived and presented online. 

Project Plan 

Over the 9-week program the Education Intern will:

Week 1-2 

· Review the of history of Family Programs since Wallace Grant days.

· Visit the CC to look at physical archives if needed, interview(s) with Director of Education, Julie Charles. 

· Attend and help facilitate Family Sunday.

· Get MHM training on intercept interviews. 

Week 3-4 

· Attend and help facilitate Family Sundays. 

· Begin intercept interviews at Family Sunday events. 

· Compile and catalog interview data.

· Meet with marketing team members as needed. 

· Archive past program and teaching resources. 

Week 5-6 

· Attend and help facilitate Family Sundays.

· Continue intercept interviews at Family Sunday events. 

· Compile and catalog interview data.

· Meet with marketing team members as needed. 

· Archive past program and teaching resources. 

Week 7-8 

· Attend and help facilitate Family Sundays. 

· Finish intercept interviews at Family Sunday events. 

· Compile and catalog interview data.

· Meet with marketing team members as needed. 

· Finish with archiving past program and teaching resources. 

Week 9 

· Attend and help facilitate Family Sundays.

· Complete personal research project and presentation. 

Educational Objectives

· Learn to use museum programs and systems. Understand how to collaborate cross-departmentally. 

· Broaden knowledge of Bay Area-based artists, community organizations, and how this intersects with museum programming. 

· Learn about a pivotal educational resource(s) within the museum. 

· Understand how nonprofit arts institutions work. 

· Develop recommendations for growth in Family Programs audience, centering racial and economic justice, based on the history of the program area. 

· Learn and ideate on best practices for serving the museum’s youngest audience at a large arts institution. 

Additional Internship Programming

The Summer 2026 Internship will offer 9-weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

Requirements 

· Applicants must be currently enrolled in school or a recent graduate. The SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date

within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.  

· If you are a current employee of the SFMOMA applying for an internship, you must be a current student or a

recent graduate, within 6 months of the internship start date.   

· Area of focus in art, teacher credentialing, education, museum studies, public policy or library science a plus. 

· Experience working with children 11 and younger in an arts, educational, or public context. 

· Knowledge and experience with current early childhood educational practices and techniques, a plus. 

· Knowledge and understanding of, and enthusiasm for, modern and contemporary art. 

· Diplomatic, interpersonal and communication skills. 

· Interest in institutional history and public programs 

· Ability to work enthusiastically and effectively with intergenerational audiences. 

· Skills in written communications. 

· Ability to maintain patience and flexibility while working in a dynamic public work environment. 

· Knowledge and interest in modern and contemporary art and education techniques. 

· Ability to engage and lead large groups of people of all ages in diverse activities. 

· Database and project management software skills a plus 

· Ability to work independently and reliably. 

Application Requirements

· Intern application on SFMOMA job site

· Resume, in PDF format

· Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest, in PDF format

  · Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for

  applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.

· Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or current/former employer, in PDF format

· College/university transcript, in PDF format

 · Transcripts can be unofficial but must be legible

  · If you are currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program, please provide the transcript for your current

  program, not your undergraduate transcript

Application Deadline: February 28, 2026

Please note: You only need two letters of recommendation total, not separate letters for each internship. If you apply to multiple internships (up to three), simply inform your recommenders which positions you’re applying for. We’ll review the same two letters across all your applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street. 

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at [email protected].