Description

The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution, hosts a world-class research staff and unparalleled scientific research collections. NHRE summer internships pair undergraduates with museum scientists to complete a research project in Anthropology, Botany, Entomology, Invertebrate Zoology, Mineral Science, Paleobiology, or Vertebrate Zoology. Although most of the internship time is spent working on the research project, there are additional events including lectures, tours of museum collections, and other activities related to natural history research.

The NMNH is located on the National Mall in the heart of Washington DC. The program runs for 10 weeks starting the day after Memorial Day, May 26 through July 31, 2026. Participating students will receive a stipend of $8,250, and up to $800 for travel to the DC area. We also cover housing in Washington DC area dorm style housing in single-occupancy rooms.

Previous research experience is not required.

NHRE Website: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/natural-history-research-experiences/

Questions about NHRE? Contact us at NHRE@si.edu

Requirements

Application Deadline, January 16th, 2026

To apply please create an account on the ETAP website (https://etap.nsf.gov/), then go to the opportunity page (https://etap.nsf.gov/award/3764/opportunity/11513).

As part of the application procedure, students will need to identify a field of interest and/or specific individuals with whom they are interested in working. Information about research areas and staff directories can be found through the department websites listed below. Students can also browse past projects from previous years for inspiration by visiting the past projects page (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/natural-history-research-experiences/past-projects).

Students selected for placement in the NHRE program will be given full details about their specific research mentor, department, and project in the offer letter.