CURRENT HOURS: General touring is closed for the season. Visit Events and Programs for special events.
Living History Farms is an interactive outdoor history museum which educates, entertains and connects people of all ages to Midwestern rural life experiences. We are looking for interns to join our team who are energetic and enthusiastic about using their knowledge & talents to engage with our visitors. We are offering a variety of paid and unpaid intern positions.
If you would like to join our team, please fill out the internship application form linked below the position you are applying for. Please upload your resume and cover letter at the bottom of the application form. Living History Farms also has many volunteer opportunities available.
Living History Farms offers a 90-day summer internship program for undergrad students in their sophomore year or higher. Interns earn a temporary worker hourly wage and receive six hours of tuition-free history credit, and valuable work experience – plus Living History Farms pays all tuition costs. Credit is provided through Graceland University and students can transfer credit hours to their own program.
• Students must pay to have a copy of the transcript of the credit transferred to their individual college or university. The credit is provided through Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. Housing is not provided.
• All interns begin the program with an intensive orientation and training session. Throughout the internship, interns are required to attend seminars that explore some aspect of public history, museum operations, or related topics. Internship program requirements also include reading and writing assignments, and completion of a special research project related to their work.
• To apply, students must be in their sophomore year or higher. In-person interviews are required.
• Like working with the public and/or children of all ages
• Excellent communication skills
• Willingness to learn, and a “can do” attitude
• Ability to work independently
• Creative, with analytical and problem-solving skills
Applications for this position are now closed, please check back in January for 2020 positions.
Questions? Please contact Dan Jones, Intern Program Coordinator, at 515-278-5286 ext. 157, or via email at education@lhf.org.
Volunteer Internship Positions• Schedule can be negotiated, but generally hours will occur when the Living History Farms offices are open, Monday – Friday, 8:30am– 4:30pm. Occasional nights or weekends may be necessary.
• Positions are open throughout the year, and are available immediately.
• Training will be provided.
• The student is responsible for ensuring that the internship fits into their individual program of study.
• Positions are un-paid.
• Applications for the volunteer internships are being accepted for summer and fall academic terms. There is no deadline to apply, but applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis, and positions are open until filled.
• Excellent communication skills
• Willingness to learn, and a “can do” attitude
• Ability to work independently
• Experience with standard computer software for a work environment, such as Power Point, Excel, Word, etc.
• Creative, with analytical and problem solving skills
• Enjoys working with the public
The collections department is charged with managing the museum’s collection. Interns will learn about museum collections practices as they provide support to the collections department staff.
Open to sophomores and above
Delve into the world of fundraising, as you learn what it takes to build community support for a non-profit organization. Through a project-based approach, interns will learn what it takes to apply for grants, work with donors, and track projects from start to finish within the context of a strategic plan.
Majors: business, marketing, journalism, management, business, English, history, or to anyone interested in working in a non-profit environment.
Open to freshmen and above
• Anyone can learn.
• Learning is fun and active!
• You never stop learning.
These basic tenets form the foundation of the educational programming offered by Living History Farms. Taking a project-based approach, you will learn how museums develop, implement, conduct, and evaluate educational programming for students of all ages.
Majors: elementary education, secondary education, early childhood education, or similar interest/major
Open to juniors and seniors
Intrigued by what it takes to manage a non-profit organization? This intern will assist the President of Living History Farms and other department administrators with a multitude of projects.
Majors: management, business administration, finance, history, or similar interest/major
Open to juniors and seniors
Summer
– This will appeal in particular to those who want more experience with clothing design and production in a museum or theatre setting. Living History Farms provides period-appropriate clothing to its staff that work at the historic sites. This intern will work on helping to construct clothing from period patterns and to help maintain stock. Experience will include historical interpretation and hat construction in the Millinery Shop.
Specific qualifications: excellence in basic sewing skills
Majors: theatre, family and consumer science
Questions? Please contact Dan Jones, Intern Program Coordinator, at 515-278-5286 ext. 157, or via email at education@lhf.org
Are you a former Living History Farms intern? If so, you understand the value of the learning opportunities offered through our internship program. We’d love to hear your story. What was the most important thing you learned during your summer at LHF? How did your LHF internship prepare you for the work that you do today? Please take a moment to share your experience through the testimonial form linked below.