Collections Intern
October 15, 2026
$600
Title: Collections Intern
Internship Dates: May 4 to August 14, 2027 (flexible)
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027
Stipend: $600
Location: On-site at The Virginia Quilt Museum in Dayton, Virginia
Hours: 10 hours per week (flexible)
About The Virginia Quilt Museum
The Virginia Quilt Museum (VQM) is the only museum dedicated to quilting in the Mid-Atlantic region. The museum’s mission is to cultivate and preserve the quilting arts in Virginia. The Virginia Quilt Museum’s goal is to inspire and engage a diverse community by building and preserving quilt collections, sharing historical and contemporary exhibitions, and providing education opportunities for all ages. VQM has a permanent collection of 300 plus quilts, over 60 sewing machines, and welcomes over 6,000 visitors each year. The museum has two floors of exhibition space and rotates exhibitions three to four times a year. Along with exhibitions the museum hosts both in-person and virtual programs and events. In 2026 the museum will participate in the semiquincentennial of the American Revolution with a six month exhibition Stitching Together History: 250 Quilts Commemorating the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Position Summary
The Virginia Quilt Museum seeks an intern to assist with collections management, digitization, cataloging, and documentation. VQM is located in the historic Silver Lake Mill in Dayton, Virginia and is 5 miles from James Madison University, 4 miles from Bridgewater College, and 7 miles from Eastern Mennonite University.
The internship will focus primarily on digitizing and organizing archival materials related to the Virginia Quilt Documentation Project. The intern will scan and upload materials from the museum's binders, helping preserve and improve access to historical records. Additional projects may include transcribing inscriptions and other information associated with collection objects, completing collection worksheets and condition reports, uploading digital file information to the museum's collections management database, CatalogIt, and attaching deeds of gift and other relevant documentation to collection records. These projects will provide hands-on experience with collections documentation, digitization, and the management of historic textiles and archival materials.
The selected intern will work under the supervision of VQM Curator Kate Read and will work
both independently and alongside museum staff and volunteers. This internship is well suited for students interested in collections management, archives, library science, history, anthropology, art history, or museum studies. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and an interest in historical research and preservation are especially valuable. Previous museum experience is welcome but not required.
Apply
To apply, please send a brief cover letter and resume to curator@vaquiltmuseum.org by February 1, 2027 with the subject line Collections Internship