2026 IDEAL Internship Grants Awarded to Five Institutions

The Decorative Arts Trust has announced that five institutions that will receive IDEAL Internship Grants in 2026: the Chester County History Center in West Chester, PA; the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA; the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City, MI; the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC; and the Yakima Valley Museum in Yakima, WA.

Chester County History Center

The Chester County History Center (CCHC) was founded in 1893 and houses a permanent collection comprising 80,000 artifacts, 100,000 historic photographs, and 750,000 manuscripts ranging from the late 1600s to the mid-1900s. CCHC’s IDEAL intern will assist with researching and installing a temporary exhibition to celebrate the Semiquincentennial. They will gain experience in artifact handling, installation techniques, preventive care, cataloguing, database management, and photo documentation.

Chrysler Museum of Art

The Chrysler Museum of Art, founded in 1933 as the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences, is internationally recognized for its collection of more than 35,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America. The IDEAL internship will focus on object-based research, exhibition planning, and public engagement for the 2028 exhibition The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art, which will feature 120 works by artists such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany & Co., Gustav Klimt, Louis Majorelle, Alphonse Mucha, and Émile Gallé.

Dennos Museum Center

Opened in 1991, the Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College features a collection of regional, national, and international art from the 19th–21st centuries, including renowned holdings of Inuit art of the Canadian Arctic. The IDEAL intern will research the museum’s Works Project Administration-era collection of black ash, sweet grass, and quill baskets in preparation for a fall 2026 exhibition in partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and the Little Traverse Bay Band.

Gibbes Museum of Art

The Gibbes Museum of Art, which grew from a collection started by the Carolina Art Association in the mid-1800s, showcases historical, modern, and contemporary works spanning 350 years, including decorative arts. The museum’s IDEAL intern will gain knowledge of the varied roles that contribute to the institution’s success and will meet museum leaders from sister organizations in Charleston. They will also complete a capstone project focused on the collection and engagement, such as a research project, exhibition, or public program.

Yakima Valley Museum

The Yakima Valley Museum, founded in 1917, is now one of the largest cultural history museums in Washington with a collection containing over 48,000 objects. The IDEAL intern will develop interpretive and educational programming for The Land of Joy and Sorrow, an exhibition exploring the experiences of Japanese American pioneers and farmers in the Yakima Valley. The internship will culminate in a capstone project, such as a public presentation, written resource, or hands-on education program.

For updates about applying for these internship opportunities, visit the institutions’ websites and follow them on social media.

The IDEAL Internship Grant program was added to the Decorative Arts Trust’s Emerging Scholars Program in 2020 to create opportunities for undergraduate students through collaborations that create meaningful introductions to the museum field and introduce new perspectives and voices to curatorial practice. Since its founding, the program has supported 25 interns. Applications are due by August 31 annually.