Ryan Learning Center Summer Internship

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.  

About the Department

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art. We celebrate curiosity and creativity, with the conviction that meaningful experiences with art and with the museum enrich people’s lives, connect people to one another, and build confidence and the capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of the world.

With an enduring commitment to equitable access, the Ryan Learning Center team engages children, teens, families, students, and educators through a wide array of programs, partnerships, and resources. These include guided gallery experiences, studio workshops, youth leadership opportunities, festivals and events, neighborhood-based engagements, and professional learning experiences. We serve all museum audiences through our free and accessible public learning space, the Ryan Learning Center. Through these experiences, learners can confidently engage with the museum as a resource, be critical thinkers and imaginative creators, and animate the museum as a place of insight, expression, and community.

By focusing on Chicago learners and centering civic partnerships in our work, the Ryan Learning Center activates and amplifies the museum’s civic role and strategic priorities to serve Chicago audiences; expand our presence within neighborhoods; and cultivate a visitorship that reflects our city.

About the Internship

The Ryan Learning Center department (RLC) invites students to apply for an immersive eight-week internship in museum education. Working closely with staff mentors and their cohort, interns will learn about RLC pedagogy, teaching methods, and educational resources. Following a 2-week training, interns will design and facilitate summer tours and art experiences for audiences of all ages. 

Duration of Program

8 weeks / June 15, 2026 through August 7 2026.

Schedule

This is a full-time, 8-week position. The intern will work 35 hours per week, Monday-Friday or Tuesday-Saturday, based on the tour schedules.

Additional housing and transportation stipends will be awarded to all participating interns. Further details will be included in internship offers.

Format

The internship will be primarily onsite, with limited remote hours. Internet access and appropriate technology will be necessary to complete this internship, but technological accommodations can be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago based on necessity.

Number of Openings

 8

Responsibilities

Primary internship projects will include:

• designing and leading interactive gallery tours for family, community, and adult audiences
• facilitating art-making with visitors in the museum’s Ryan Learning Center
• researching and writing lesson plans for artworks in our collection
• attending weekly museum career programs

Internship Outcomes

• Gain practical experience in the field of museum education with a focus on youth-centered, inquiry-based, interactive learning.
• Cultivate a teaching practice that reflects their unique perspective and identity.
• Gain behind-the-scenes insights into the operations of a large museum and develop an understanding of the museum's role as civic partner. 
• Build a supportive and lasting network of peers and mentors
• Collaborate with staff mentors to create individualized goals unique to each intern’s career aspirations and personal growth.

Qualifications

Qualified applicants will be rising senior undergraduates, graduating seniors, or Master’s Degree students in any year (undergraduate applicants must have completed their junior year by May 2026 and will not have graduated before December 2025; graduate applicants will not have graduated before December 2025).

In addition to these requirements, applicants should possess:

• Interest in the arts and/or museums, demonstrated through academic study, work experience, or by other means
• Experience teaching, assisting teaching, tutoring, or mentoring in informal or formal education settings (in-person or virtual) such as a school,