Category: Museum Anthropology Blog

The Helmerich Center for American Research will offer five short-term fellowships for the 2026-27 academic year. Fellowships are available for pre-and post-doctoral research or independent research with a stipend of $2,500 for United States residents and $3,000 for international residents from July 2026–June 2027. The length of the research visits are between two weeks and one month. Individuals who live within 70 miles of the center and who are not employed by The University of Tulsa are eligible to apply for one-month fellowships, with a stipend of $1,000. 

We are pleased to announce that complementary housing can be arranged on the University of Tulsa’s campus, upon request and depending on availability. HCAR is a 13-minute drive (6.5 miles) from TU’s campus.   

Please note that while Gilcrease Museum is under construction, many artworks are not accessible for research purposes. Gilcrease staff will determine whether any requested item from the art collection is available or not. 

Fellows are expected to be active researchers in regular residence at the Center, and they are encouraged to participate in the intellectual life of the Center and the University of Tulsa. A brief report will be due within 30 days of completion of the fellowship, and a citation of any publications resulting from the research should also be sent to hcarlibrary@utulsa.edu.

Application deadline: March 31, 2026

To apply, please submit the following materials via Interfolio:

1. Curriculum vitae, not to exceed 3 pages.
2. Two letters of reference
3. Project Proposal in English, should include the following:

• Explanation of the project’s significance and progress to date
• Detailed list of materials and collection items to be consulted at HCAR and, if applicable, McFarlin Special Collections
• Plan for completion of the work while in residence
• Document should not exceed 1500 words

More here. 

Travel grants. 

CLOSING DATE: 03/09/26               

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) seeks experienced and highly motivated candidates to fill the position of Program Coordinator for an initial term of three years. The initial term may or may not be extended. The purpose of the position is to serve as the primary point of contact for inquiries related to the Four Pathways program by working in close partnership with the NMAI Assistant Director for Collections to manage program administration, budget coordination, and grant reporting.   The Four Pathways of Return guides the NMAI in working with communities to return or care for cultural heritage items in ways that address past harms and support ethical stewardship. Integrating the NMAI Act and related Smithsonian policies, it helps determine the best pathway – Community Loan, Shared Stewardship, Repatriation, or Ethical Returns – to provide communities with greater authority over their cultural heritage.

The NMAI is responsible for affirming to Native communities and the non-Native public, the historical and contemporary culture and cultural achievements of the Indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere by advancing, in consultation, collaboration and cooperation with them, a knowledge and understanding of their cultures, including art, history, and language, and by recognizing the Museum’s special responsibility, through innovative public programming, research, and collections, to protect, support, and enhance the development, maintenance, and perpetuation of Indigenous culture and community.

This position is located at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Cultural Resource Center in Suitland, MD. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer.

Please note, this is a trust position, and applications are not through USA Jobs; all that is required is an uploaded CV or resume to the online job application and a cover letter in the space provided at the online form. Please highlight how your resume and experience connect to the requirements of the position in your cover letter. A resume can be more than two pages given that it should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job, starting and ending dates of job (month and year), and average number of hours worked per week.

Via The New York Times, by Remy Tumin, 15 February 2026

In 1832, Joseph Brewster built a fashionable rowhouse mansion in one of New York City’s wealthiest neighborhoods. The three-story home in the East Village was built to entertain other wealthy, white peers, many of whom were profiting from the slave trade.

What Mr. Brewster’s guests did not know was that just on the other side of the parlor wall was a passageway meant to ensure freedom via the Underground Railroad. In fact, almost no one knew of the narrow chute’s connection to the freedom network until now.

Researchers at the Merchant’s House Museum, which preserves the historic rowhouse, believe that Mr. Brewster, a hatter and merchant who owned the house until 1835, intentionally built a passage to help enslaved people on their way north to as far as Canada.

“This passage is completely unlike any other house in this neighborhood, any other house that we have seen, that architectural historians that we have worked with have seen,” Emily Hill-Wright, the museum’s director of operations, said in an interview. “It’s really quite a remarkable find.”

More here. 

Via The Art Newspaper, Gareth Harris, 9 February 2026

The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University, UK, will shortly send around 100 Benin bronzes to Nigeria as part of a major restitution initiative, according to the Observer newspaper.

The move comes after officials at the university supported a claim in 2022 by Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) for the “return to Nigeria of 116 objects currently held in [the museum] that were taken by British armed forces during the sacking of Benin City in 1897” (‘Benin bronzes’ refers to objects made of brass and ivory as well as bronze).

But returning the bronzes has been delayed for various reasons. In March 2023, Nigeria’s then president, Muhammadu Buhari, transferred the ownership of those Benin bronzes which had been returned to the country—in 2022 the German government agreed to transfer ownership of 1,100 works— to Ewuare II, the current oba and head of the royal family from whom the British stole the treasures.

Nicholas Thomas, the director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University, says: “We paused as a clearer framework was needed. In July last year the university council confirmed the transfer [of ownership] should proceed. The bronzes should go back within months.” The remaining 16 bronzes will remain in Cambridge on loan.

Early last year, Olugbile Holloway, the director general of the NCMM, signed a five-year agreement with Ewuare II, allowing his agency to manage the returned bronzes on the oba’s behalf. Plans to build a “royal museum” in Benin City to house the bronzes appear to have stalled however.

The new Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) was scheduled to open last November and expected to house a collection of Benin Bronzes. But the official launch of the highly anticipated museum in Benin City was abruptly halted after a group of protestors broke into the organisation’s main building. A spokesperson for the museum says that visits are currently by appointment only.

Rumours circulated that the protesters were sent by the oba whose displeasure reportedly disagreements the restitution and safekeeping of the Benin Bronzes, as well as funding.

More here. 

Via KPBS By John Carroll (General Assignment Reporter & Anchor) and Mike Damron (Video Journalist), 10 February 2026

February is Black History Month, but when it comes to the arts, there is one San Diego institution that elevates the Black experience year-round.

It’s the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art (SDAAMFA), and its latest exhibition is called “San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods.”

“We’re responsible to the community as well as the arts. So we do things that are responsible to the community, which is what this is,” said the museum’s executive director Gaidi Finnie. “So that’s why that is important to the San Diego history and the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art.”

We met Finnie in a gallery at the San Diego History Center, one of many museums SDAAMFA works with to present exhibits. SDAAMFA does not have a physical building of its own.

“We are a museum without walls. Always have been,” Finnie said. “From the time before me, when it was Shirley Day-Williams, who ran it, it was also a museum without walls. It went dormant in 1998 or ’99 for a while, and I reopened it, if you will, in 2014. So it’s been 12 years since, but always as a museum without walls.”

And that answer led to an obvious question: Where does the museum keep its art when it’s not on exhibit?

More here. 

Via ProPublica, by Jaimie Seaton, 6 February 2026

A library in rural Alaska needed help providing free Wi-Fi and getting kids to read. A children’s museum in Washington wanted to expand its Little Science Lab. And a World War I museum in Missouri had a raft of historic documents it needed to digitize. They received funding from a little-known federal agency before the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to dismantle it last year.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is now accepting applications for its 2026 grant cycle. But this time, it has unusually specific criteria.

In cover letters accompanying the applications, the institute said it “particularly welcomes” projects that align with President Donald Trump’s vision for America.

These would include those that foster an appreciation for the country “through uplifting and positive narratives,” the agency writes, citing an executive order that attacks the Smithsonian Institution for its “divisive, race-centered ideology.” (Trump has said the museum focused too much on “how bad slavery was.”) The agency also points to an executive order calling for the end of “the anti-Christian weaponization of government” and one titled Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again.

The solicitation marks a stark departure for the agency, whose guidelines were previously apolitical and focused on merit.

Former agency leaders from both political parties, as well as those of library, historical and museum associations, expressed concern that funded projects could encourage a more constrained or distorted view of American history. Some also feared that by accepting grants, institutions would open themselves up to scrutiny and control, like the administration’s wide-ranging audit of Smithsonian exhibits “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.”

More here. 

Description

Position: McDermott Intern for Asian Art

Reports to: The Cecil and Ida Green Curator of Asian Art

Classification: Non-Exempt, Full-Time, Hourly

Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid holiday, personal and sick time; $500 for professional development

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm with one hour for lunch; ability to work remotely 2 days per week following 90-day introductory period

Internship Period: September 1, 2026 – May 28, 2027

Salary: $15/hour, 35 hours per week

 

Mission

The Dallas Museum of Art is a space of wonder and discovery where art comes alive.

The DMA will:

• Place art and our diverse communities at the center around which all activities radiate.
• Pursue excellence in collecting and programming, present works of art across cultures and time, and be a driving force in contemporary art.
• Strengthen our position as a prominent, innovative institution, expanding the meaning and possibilities of learning and creativity.

Scope of Position:

Under the guidance of the Curator of Asian Art, the intern will assist in the care and maintenance of the Dallas Museum of Art’s Asian art collection and support ongoing research, documentation, and exhibition of the collection. They will conduct research and writing in support of the collection area’s goals, which may include provenance, acquisition proposals, upcoming exhibitions, and/or future rotations of Asian art. The intern will have the opportunity to also work on projects that could include contributing in-gallery texts, presenting a tour, docent training, and creating web content.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Support ongoing research and documentation of the Dallas Museum of Art’s Asian art collection, including but not limited to objects from East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and West Asia.
• Conduct primary and secondary source research utilizing a multitude of resources, including object files and the Museum’s Mayer Library.
• Conduct research and writing in support of the Asian art collection area’s goals, which may also include for possible acquisitions, upcoming exhibitions, and/or future rotations.
• Assist with augmenting existing documentation concerning history of ownership, exhibition history, and publication references for objects in the Asian art collection.
• Attend regular one-on-one, departmental, interdepartmental team meetings as needed and provide weekly status updates about ongoing research and project progress.
• Support other curatorial tasks under the supervision of the curator as needed.

Internship Goals:

• Expand art historical object-based research skills, particularly in Asian art.
• Learn best curatorial practices for basic provenance research and compilation skills.
• Gain experience with writing in a museum context.
• Ascertain professional goals and interests through the support of mentorship.
• Develop professional communication and interpersonal skills through collaboration with Museum colleagues.
• McDermott Internship: Understand the roles and functions of different staff within the Museum as well as the relationship between the departments and how they all function together to comprise the organization.

Internship Project:

The intern will assist in the care and maintenance of the Dallas Museum of Art’s Asian art collection and support ongoing research, documentation, and exhibition of the collection. They will vet and augment the existing documentation of ownership, exhibition history, and publication references for objects in the Asian art collection and create and/or update the Museum’s Asian art physical and digital object files. They will conduct research and writing in support of the collection area’s goals, which may include acquisition proposals, and supporting upcoming exhibitions and/or future rotations of Japanese, Himalayan and Indian art. The intern will have the opportunity to also work on projects that could include contributing gallery texts, presenting a tour, docent training, and creating web content.

Requirements

 

Education, Experience, and Certification:

• Completion of coursework or background in Asian art history encouraged; graduate work encouraged.
• Reading proficiency in an Asian language encouraged.

Key Qualifications:

• Demonstrated research and writing skills.
• Ability to juggle multiple assignments.
• Ability to work successfully within deadlines.

 Application Due:  February 15, 2026

Full-Time Onsite Internship

$850/week

June 1 – August 7, 2026

Desired Majors and Areas of Study: African American history and culture, museum studies, research experience, and strong, writing and organizational skills. Practical experience will also be considered.

This internship resides within the Office of Collections which encompasses Acquisitions, Archives, Offices of Collections Management, and Cataloging & Digitization. These teams work together to bring in new collections, handle, preserve and care for collections; transport and store collections; make collections accessible through records management, cataloging, and digitization; manage collections rights and reproductions; and implement archive processing and access. Office of Collections staff work closely with Office of Curatorial Affairs staff to identify and manage possible acquisitions and loans. Collections staff also work hand in hand with the Office of Project Management & Planning staff to install and maintain exhibitions.

The Collections Management Intern will develop special project planning modules (Purpose, Scope, Deliverable List, POAM, Assessment and Review, Report Requirements) and expansion of research methods for historical research using primary and secondary sources. They will also aid in the creation or research reports then participate in presentations of research findings/results. The intern will learn the practice of inquiry-based research skills; discover specialized skills for uncovering stories of marginalized people; produce work that will have a public impact. Strengthen individual growth by making new connections, experimenting, and expanding their comfort zone.

Duties Include (but are not limited to):

• Research of potential project event centered on a Collection for identification of business/corporate connections and support.

• Conduct research of identified businesses/corporations

• Complete report of findings from research

• Present research findings

More here. 

Call for Pitches
Council for Museum Anthropology’s Museum Anthropology Blog
American Anthropological Association

The Council for Museum Anthropology’s Museum Anthropology Blog is looking to highlight student voices on its blog.

Have you seen an exciting and thought-provoking exhibition this summer that you want to share with the museum anthropology community? Is there a topic you discussed in a course that you want to reflect on more? Have you read a recent news article you want to comment on? Do you want to tell colleagues about a curatorial/research project you are doing (or did)?

Posts can be written about any relevant theme, and we welcome submissions from both undergraduate and graduate students.

Possible topics include:
– Reviews of a recent book or exhibition
– Critical reflections on an internship or fellowship, curatorial/research project you have undertaken, or a recent museum event you attended
– Commentaries on recent events in the museum world
– Discussions that explore a specific object, museum feature, or mode of museum practice

Guest posts can range from 500 to 1,000 words. Rolling deadline.

Please submit a 300-word pitch and 50-word author bio to CMA blog manager Emily Hayflick
(eh664@cornell.edu) and CMA secretary & chair of the communications committee Lillia McEnaney (mcenaneylillia@gmail.com).

Examples of guest posts can be found here:
– Guest post written by Inge Zwart, PhD student: https://museumanthropology.org/guest-post-participation-in-museums-backstage-ideals-and-frontstage-realities-by-inge-zwart/
– Guest post written by Dr. Jennifer Shannon: https://museumanthropology.org/2020-12-22-guest-post-sar-guidelines-in-teaching-the-university-of-colorado-museum-studies-program/

Position Title: Museum Collections Intern

Hours: 20 to 30 hours per week; May-August

Salary: $19.00 – $24.00 per hour

Overview: Looking for a fun and fulfilling internship this summer? Join the Fairfax County Park Authority as a Museum Collections Intern! Working under the supervision of the Archaeological and Museum Collections Manager you will be provided with training and direction for collections inventory and care.

Duties:

• The Collection includes over 3,000 permanent, education, display, and living collection objects onsite ranging from industrial farming equipment to historic household goods.
• Inventory tasks include identifying, documenting, photographing and updating digital database records. This is an integral part in ensuring the success of FCPA’s reaccreditation process with the American Alliance of Museums.
• All other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Undergraduate or graduate student majoring in Museum Studies, History or related field.
• Must be well organized, work with accuracy and attention to detail, excellent research abilities, and possess strong oral and written communication skills.
• Candidates should be able to work in team and independently when given tasks.
• Prior knowledge or experience with museum collections management preferred.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. with assistance.
• Ability to walk, crouch, kneel, stand, sit in indoor and outdoor areas during variable weather.
• Ability to ascend and descend ladders.
• May work in historic structures and spaces that are not climate controlled or accessible to ADA requirements.

To Apply: Please e-mail resume and cover letter with references to Kelsey Atwood, Archaeological and Museum Collections Manager at Kelsey.Atwood@fairfaxcounty.gov. Interviews with qualified applicants will begin immediately. Position open until filled.

More here.