Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Virtual Museum Seminar Program: June 7–July 29, 2021

Applications for the 2021 Virtual Museum Seminar Program are due by Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

 

In the summer of 2021, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will host a Virtual Museum Seminar Program in place of an in-person internship program. This program will include weekly virtual Seminar Sessions on museum careers, departments, and behind-the-scenes experiences. This program will not involve any department-specific internship projects or placements, but it rather will be an opportunity to engage and learn about the museum at large. This new program will fulfill the educational role of internships and provide access to the museum field to a larger number of students through a virtual platform and part-time programming.

 

The Virtual Museum Seminar Program exposes students to the inner-workings of a major metropolitan museum, promoting an awareness of careers in the field through experiences not available in most academic settings. This virtual student experience with the Philadelphia Museum of Art is an invaluable educational, professional, and personal experience. Through the seminar program, students will gain an understanding of museum professional careers, engage in weekly small group discussions, participate in professional development opportunities, and network with museum staff and peers.

Individuals of all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply, including those from traditionally underrepresented groups in the museum field. Sixty students will be selected for the summer program taking place from Monday, June 7, through Thursday, July 29, 2021. Participants will receive a $500 stipend to offset technology needs and part-time participation.

 

Highlights of the Virtual Museum Seminar Program >>

 

The Virtual Museum Seminar Program runs weekly for two months. The program is made up of two parts: registrants spend five hours per week in Seminar Sessions made up of a variety of virtual engagements; and for one hour each week at an assigned time they participate in a Small Group Discussion.

Seminar Sessions are held on Monday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon E.S.T. and may include:

Presentations and talks with curators, conservators, and educators

Discussions with top-level administrators

Conversations with many museum departments

Lectures on the museum’s history and collection

Guest speakers on current issues and museums now

Small Group Discussions are required for all registrants. These groups will be broken down to include roughly 20 students in each based upon availability selected on their application and will be scheduled at a set time each week. These discussions will provide opportunities to have further conversations and engagements with the museum and each other. Applicants must select their availability for Small Group Discussions from the following:

Monday’s at 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.; Tuesday’s at 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.; Wednesday’s at 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. or 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.; Thursday’s at 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. or 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Attendance at all Seminar Sessions and Small Group Discussions is mandatory for registrants. The required time commitment is six hours per week (five in Seminar Sessions and one in a Small Group Discussion).

The Virtual Museum Seminar Program will be hosted on the Zoom platform for all Seminar Sessions and Small Group Discussions. To fully participate and meet attendance requirements, registrants must have the Zoom application as well as a computer or technology device enabled with a camera, speakers and microphone, and internet access. Registrants are required to stay “on camera” during all sessions.

In addition, the Volunteer Services team will hold space weekly for optional Virtual Office Hours during which registrants can meet and individually ask questions, chat, and engage.

 

Eligibility Requirements >>

 

The Virtual Museum Seminar Program is available to applicants:

From all backgrounds, including those from traditionally underrepresented groups in the museum field

Who are currently-enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, or have graduated within the same calendar year as the program

Who have completed at least their freshman year of college by the end of the spring 2021 semester

Who are eligible to work in the United States

Who are committed to attending all program sessions

 

In the summer of 2021, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will host a Virtual Museum Seminar Program in place of an in-person internship program. This program will include weekly virtual Seminar Sessions on museum careers, departments, and behind-the-scenes experiences. This program will not involve any department-specific internship projects or placements, but it rather will be an opportunity to engage and learn about the museum at large. This new program will fulfill the educational role of internships and provide access to the museum field to a larger number of students through a virtual platform and part-time programming.