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Architectural History and Historic Preservation Internship

Office of Architectural History and Historic Preservation (AHHP) internship is to provide a practical learning experience in documenting historic sites and buildings. Expected knowledge and or skill will vary according to the specific area of study within the historic preservation field, academic requirements of the university, and professional goals of individual students. This is an opportunity for pre-graduate or graduate level, architecture, architectural history, historic preservation, museum studies, and materials conservation program candidates seriously considering a career in historic preservation or materials conservation. The successful applicant will have or be pursuing an undergraduate degree in history, architecture, historic preservation, art history, or a related field, and be able to demonstrate a degree of familiarity with reading building plans, site plans, photography, archival research, and noting general conditions.


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, onsite internships must be in compliance with Smithsonian policies and procedures as well as local and Federal requirements for regarding masking, vaccination/testing. This is an in-person internship.

Appointment Details

Internship ID: 02-SF-OPDC

Project Name: Historic Documentation of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, former Military Facility, Front Royal, VA

Appointment of Term: 10 weeks 

Hours: 40 hours per week

Location: DC Offices of Planning and Project Management, 600 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, D.C.

Housing: Interns must secure housing prior to the internship start date

Travel: Travel to and from work location is the responsibility of the intern. The intern must have access to a personal vehicle for travel to and from the survey site in Front Royal, Virginia.

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The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s campus of buildings are repurposed historic Remount Station military buildings in Front Royal, Virginia. Newly found historic War Department materials cataloguing each building have been discovered, but the Smithsonian lacks an inventory of the extant buildings and their conditions. The site is currently used for the care and propagation of the Smithsonian’s living collection of animals, and the majority of buildings date from the World War I to the present. The AHHP staff will work with the successful applicant(s) to outline the goals and objectives of the project and potential sources for original source material research. The project will lay the groundwork for the generation of a Historic Structures Report/Cultural Landscape Report for the campus. 


Student Responsibilities

Depending on the intern’s experience, students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and or skill from among the following: oral and written communication, leadership, initiative, and self-monitoring. The intern may create a record of the project to add to their further education portfolio.

Interns will be required to exercise logical problem-solving skills and appropriate aesthetic judgment. The intern must be able to undertake research, match the historic documents to existing facilities, draw or modify existing site plans and building plans to illustrate the findings of the research, and provide written narratives. The intern will be required to spend significant time at the site which is about one hour from Washington, DC. Site visits are anticipated at approximately 2 days per week for the duration of the internship. The intern may be occasionally accompanied by AHHP or Smithsonian Facilities staff to the site, but access to personal transportation is required. The intern is expected to be professionally responsible of schedules, work independently, to comport himself or herself with appropriate good manners and respect for the work being undertaken at the Smithsonian Conservation and Biology Institute. 


Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervisor will provide students with assignments and activities which will provide the opportunity for the student to learn about, and participate in a professional capacity in the documentation and management of historic buildings. Supervisor is also responsible for identifying the expectations of the project and the provision of opportunities to participate in preservation activities, and the provision of resources, time, and support to facilitate the successful completion of the assignment.

Project Outcomes

  1. Photography and written documentation of each facility.
  2. Presentation to Smithsonian Facilities senior staff of final project (including research process used, results obtained, benefits to Smithsonian Architectural History and Historic Preservation and suggested follow-up work).

Learning Objectives

Working under the guidance of the historic preservation specialists, interns will gain knowledge and experience in techniques of research, documentation, identification of period architecture and methods of analyzing integrity of the remaining historic buildings on the site. Interns will receive experience in the preparation of documentation, similar to Historic Structure Reports. Interns may also participate in attending meetings outlining the current preservation projects of properties on the National Mall to learn more about the administration of historic preservation nationally and the Section 106 consultation process.

Professional skills to be developed will include:

  • Visual examination and condition assessment
  • Photography and documentation
  • Written and graphic descriptions of existing buildings
  • Context study of WWI-current design of buildings on the Front Royal campus. 

How to Apply

  • Submit an online application
  • Be sure to indicate the session you are applying for (Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter)
  • Essay describing background, interest in field, career goals and why you chose the internship opportunity. Please include the SF internship opportunity and project name that you are applying to. (1-2 pages),
  • Resume,
  • Academic Transcripts, and
  • Two Letters of Recommendation

Eligibility & Qualifications for Prospective Smithsonian Facilities Interns:

  • Must be in good academic standing at college/university
  • Most require English proficiency in written and oral communication.
  • Must submit complete application package through SOLAA
  • Must pass background investigation
  • Must provide and verify housing for term of internship
  • Must provide proof or citizenship or F-1 Visa
  • Must have a bank account for direct deposit of stipend payments
  • We are currently not accepting high school student applicants for our internship programs.

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