Explore a museum career in depth through a graduate assistantship. With a collection that includes art from 30,000 BCE to the present day, our art holdings are vast and diverse. Graduate assistants are important contributors to the teaching and learning that underpins everything we do with our collection—from curatorial work to registration, education, and more.
Each spring, the museum recruits for assistantships, which are open to graduate students from any department, carry stipends, and provide tuition remission.
Assistanceship Opportunities for 2024-2025
The Graduate Assistant (GA) will be introduced to curatorial practice and learn how to apply art historical scholarship to projects oriented toward the public. They will support daily operations in the Prints, Drawings, and Photographs (PDP) department, assisting with exhibition projects, pursuing collection research, and inventorying of the collection as part of an annual review process. The GA will work with the mentor on the research and development of a Helen Frankenthaler prints exhibition scheduled for Fall 2025. The GA will receive object handling training from museum staff as well as training in TMS (The Museum System), the collections management system utilized by the museum. In TMS, they will update records, including verifying exhibition and bibliographic citations and adding new information, such as visual descriptions (alt-text), catalogue raisonné numbers, and states. The GA may present gallery talks and assist with PDP Study Center visitor/class supervision as needed.
The Graduate Assistant (GA) will be introduced to curatorial practice and will learn how to apply art historical scholarship to projects oriented towards the public. They will support daily operations in the department, will assist with research and exhibition projects, and may have the opportunity to pursue independent research/curatorial projects. The GA will conduct and update research on the collection including researching new acquisitions. This GA will also provide support to the Curator of European and American Art for forthcoming exhibitions. The GA will receive training in TMS (The Museum System), the collections management system utilized by the museum. In TMS, they will update records, including verifying exhibition and bibliographic citations and adding new information, such as visual descriptions (alt-text), catalogue raisonné numbers, and states.
The Graduate Assistant (GA) will be introduced to curatorial practice and work on research connected for an upcoming special exhibition. The GA will primarily focus on researching artworks in the exhibition and produce texts about these objects that could be included in the exhibition and/or accompanying book publication. The GA will also be involved in provenance research of artworks in the exhibition and will assist with preparations for the book publication connected to the exhibition. The GA will receive training in TMS (The Museum System), the collections management system utilized by the museum. In TMS, they will update records, including verifying exhibition and bibliographic citations and adding new information, such as visual descriptions (alt-text), catalogue raisonné numbers, and states.
Compensation
Graduate assistantships include a stipend, fee remission, and enrollment in IU’s student appointee medical and dental plans.
Eligibility
All Indiana University graduate students with applicable skills and committed to active learning through direct engagement with art from the Eskenazi Museum of Art’s wide-ranging collection are eligible to apply. Full-time graduate students in any department are eligible. Applicants must be enrolled full time for the 2024-25 academic year. Foreign language skills and/or museum experience helpful.
Application Procedure
Please e-mail a cover letter and resume/CV to Ben Gardner, University Experiences Manager, at benagard@iu.edu. Include the words “GA Application” along with the title of the role you are applying for in the e-mail subject line. Applicants’ materials are reviewed as they are received.
Previous applicants are welcome to re-apply. All appointments are subject to budget confirmation. All potential candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for graduate work study at the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Deadline: April 1, 2024.
Are you a curious, creative, flexible person who enjoys great experiences in museums?
Student Guides
Through the museum's experiential training, you will learn to be a teacher, tour guide, and interpreter of the museum's amazing collection. You will be introduced to a range of theories and practices on museum learning, conduct research on our collection, practice public speaking, and explore the practical aspects of conducting gallery tours.
We welcome students from all backgrounds and experience levels to share their rich and diverse life experiences with each other and our museum visitors. A background in art, art history, or teaching is not required to become a successful student guide.
Internships
Learn about museum careers and practice essential skills through an unpaid internship at the Eskenazi Museum of Art. Your internship experience will be developed collaboratively by you, your advisor, and a museum educator. Internships at the museum are co-active. That means we will work together every step of the way to help you meet your learning goals while you make valuable contributions to the museum.
Internships are available for qualified IU undergraduate students with junior standing as well as graduate students.
Museum hosts
Museum Hosts are paid student employees who produce and host high-quality experiences. As a host, you'll learn to welcome and interact with guests and to cultivate a culture at the museum where you feel welcome, excited, curious, capable, and a sense of belonging. You'll also learn museology (how museums work), event production, hosting and audience engagement practices, and how to foster a more welcoming culture.
Museum Hosts don't work a lot of hours, but their work has impact. If you like to learn, make friends, build professional connections, produce events, and interact with museum guests, this is an excellent opportunity.