Gift Shop Internship
October 15, 2026
$600
Title: Gift Shop Internship
Internship Dates: January 5 to May 1, 2027 (flexible)
Application Deadline: November 15, 2026
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 our gift shop, e-commerce, and general visitor experience. The museum gift shop features hand-made gifts by local artists and curated goods for quilters, crafters, and art lovers alike. 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 on gift shop operations: staffing the cash register and phone, processing inventory, managing online shop orders, shop decor and presentation, and communicating with museum staff and volunteers. The role also requires assisting visitors with wayfinding in the museum.
The selected intern will work under the supervision of VQM Assistant Director Leslie Schallock and will work both independently and alongside museum staff and volunteers. Experience in retail or other service industry work would suit this role well, but anyone who feels they can promote a welcoming visitor experience while keeping an eye for detail in a shop environment is welcome to apply.
Apply
To apply, please send a brief cover letter and resume to curator@vaquiltmuseum.org by November 15, 2026 with the subject line Gift Shop Internship