Smithsonian Internships for High School Students

Smithsonian internships for high school students are offered by individual Smithsonian museums and research centers, including the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) Summer High School Internship for students in grades 9 to 12. The Smithsonian's central internship listings include many positions for college and graduate students, so high schoolers should look for postings marked for high school students. The 2026 NMNH internship ran in person from June 23 to August 14, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Interns spent two to three days a week on a project with a museum supervisor and one to two days on enrichment such as field trips and behind-the-scenes tours. 2026 projects included botany, anthropology, paleobiology and exhibit writing. The 2026 stipend was $5,600, or $700 a week, and lunch was provided. Other units, including the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the National Zoo, also appear in the Smithsonian's listings for high school students and recent graduates.

Smithsonian policy requires every intern to be at least 14, and interns under 18 must have parental consent. The NMNH program is open to currently enrolled high school students who are 15 to 18 when the internship starts, write and speak English fluently, and live within commuting distance of the museum in D.C., Maryland or Virginia. Applications for 2026 opened February 16 and closed March 20, 2026. Requirements for other units' postings vary by position.