Spring 2027 Public Programs (Paid) Intern

About the role

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has been called the “Smithsonian of country music,” celebrated for its broad cultural impact, educational mission, and unrivaled collection of historically important artifacts. Chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964, the Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that documents and interprets the history of country music. The Museum collects objects and archival materials that illustrate the evolving history and traditions of country music and provides diverse learning opportunities through educational programs, publications, and exhibitions. First opened in 1967 on Nashville’s Music Row, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum launched its current downtown location in 2001. In 2014, the Museum unveiled a $100 million expansion that doubled its footprint. The Museum now encompasses 350,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, archival storage, retail stores, and event space. The Museum owns Hatch Show Print, a letterpress print shop opened in 1879, and it operates Historic RCA Studio B, where Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, and many others recorded. In addition, the Museum offers the Taylor Swift Education Center for students, teachers, and families, and dedicated performance spaces in the CMA Theater and Ford Theater, both of which regularly host nationally recognized live music and cultural events. In 2024, the Museum was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Arts by President Joe Biden. The medal is the highest award given to artists and arts institutions by the United States government. The White House Citation, which accompanied the medal, recognized the Museum’s work, which “preserves history, honors giants of the genre, and inspires future generations to write their own songs about the American story.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum offers paid internships to full-time college students (undergraduate and graduate) that advance the educational goals of the intern and help to promote the Museum’s mission. The Museum’s internship program offers work-based learning opportunities that introduce college students to museum-related careers and other professions found in large cultural organizations. Internships are designed for a maximum commitment of 25 hours per week for 12 weeks with consideration given to individual university requirements. Additional adjustments to the 12-week, 25-hour schedule will be at the discretion of the internship supervisor. Educational programs which operate on a quarterly basis may be accommodated. Motivated students who are seeking hands-on experiences in a team-oriented environment will find excellent opportunities at the Museum.

The Museum Services department is responsible for the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s collections, exhibitions, and editorial content. In direct support of the Museum’s mission statement, we preserve and protect the Museum’s collections using best practices while incorporating emerging technologies to provide access to these collections and ensure the histories of our collections and the artists associated with them are recorded for the future and reported to the public accurately. Within Museum Services, there are teams of registrars, collections specialists, librarians, archivists, exhibit managers, curators, and writers.

Housed within the Museum Services department, Public Programs is responsible for educating varied audiences about country music through events that target adult audiences. The goal of the Public Programs internship is to gain experience in planning and executing a range of programs intended to educate adult audiences about country music. These programs may include live interviews and performances, concerts, film screenings, and other educational offerings. Under the guidance of the Public Programs team, the intern will learn to help prepare for and facilitate these programs, communicate with Museum visitors and program performers, and write various program support materials. The intern will also undertake administrative duties, attend team meetings, research, and brainstorm ways to support future programming, assist with select online content, and help facilitate other Education or non-public events as needed.

Responsibilities

• Research and write introductions for select programs