Are you exploring the field of historic preservation, public history or archaeology and looking for some real-world experience? The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Internship Program provides opportunities to pursue your professional growth and contribute to sharing Pennsylvania’s rich heritage with the public.
We’d like to invite college and graduate school students interested in historic preservation, archaeology, community planning, cultural resources, architectural history, public history, and other related fields to apply for their summer 2026 internship.
The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is offering three internship opportunities this year: National Register, preservation planning, and archaeology. These paid internships are an excellent way for you to build your portfolio while helping PHMC and the PA SHPO preserve Pennsylvania’s important older and historic places.
In 2024, interns with PA SHPO had the opportunity to join staff on site visits like this one to Rose Valley in Delaware County.
WYNTK
PHMC’s Keystone Summer Internship Program provides preprofessional training to students interested in pursuing a career in history, historic preservation, or museums. We created this program to be an integral part of our interns’ academic training, and students are encouraged to seek credit. Each Keystone Summer Intern will work directly with a Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) staff mentor on a specific project or projects and will also learn about PHMC’s multiple functions through educational and networking opportunities.
- Interns will be paid $17.38/hour.
- Internships are 10 weeks, May 2026 through August 2026. Interns must work a minimum of 225 hours and are eligible to work up to 300 hours. Work hours are flexible and will be finalized between selected interns and their supervisor.
- Interns may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time. Work will be a hybrid schedule, with 50% telework and 50% in the Harrisburg office. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
- Applicant must be enrolled at a college or university in an undergraduate or graduate program at the time of their internship. Internship position posting will list additional requirements.
- Applications are accepted from students throughout the United States; however, PHMC is unable to provide housing or transportation stipends to our interns.
Applications are due by 2/8/2026 11:59 PM Eastern.
PA SHPO interns learn about the preservation work happening at the Lansdowne Theatre.
National Register Keystone Internship at PA SHPO
The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is the official historic preservation agency for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This position will introduce the intern to the programs administered by the PA SHPO, focusing on the National Register of Historic Places. The intern will gain first-hand knowledge of the National Register process in Pennsylvania, how properties are evaluated for listing in the National Register, and how the National Register program intersects with other historic preservation programs in Pennsylvania, including historic tax credits and grant programs. Core job duties will include: implementing a rubric to identify priorities for proactive National Register nominations, researching and writing historic narratives, documenting and recording historic resources in Pennsylvania, updating resource records in Pennsylvania’s database of historic properties, and other tasks as assigned.
Visit our website to learn more about the National Register of Historic Places.
Read the internship posting for more information and to apply.
Statewide Preservation Plan Keystone Internship at PA SHPO
In this internship, you will work with a variety of the divisions within the PA SHPO to review and evaluate Pennsylvania’s Statewide Historic Preservation Plan. Your work will include preparing and distributing a resolution to adopt the current plan; developing and implementing outreach plans to different partners, such as county historical societies; and critically evaluating and comparing the implementation of Pennsylvania’s plan to other State Historic Preservation or Commonwealth agencies plans.
With our team you will learn what statewide historic preservation plans are and how PA SHPO can support participation in planning for historic and cultural resources. By working alongside members of the PA SHPO team in a traditional and virtual professional office environment, you will gain experience in the importance of Pennsylvania’s historic properties and community preservation. At the conclusion of the internship, you will have a portfolio of work products representative of the many approaches to implementing a Statewide plan.
Visit our website to learn more about Pennsylvania’s statewide historic preservation plan.
Read the internship posting for more information and to apply.
Archaeology Keystone Internship at PA SHPO
The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is offering an internship with the Archaeology section and the Archaeology Curation section of our Environmental Review division. You will be working closely with the PA SHPO staff to make archaeology reports and site location data more accessible to professional archaeologists and to help with digitization efforts. Throughout the summer, you will learn how PA SHPO advises state and federal agencies under the Pennsylvania History Code and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. You will also learn how to record archaeological sites with the PA SHPO, gain experience in data management related to curation, and conduct archaeological site and project field views.
Visit our website to learn more about the Environmental Review division.
Read the the internship posting for more information and to apply.
Other PHMC Opportunities
Many PHMC historic sites throughout the commonwealth are offering internships for a variety of work at the PA State Archives, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, and many of our historic sites.
Search all of PHMC’s listings on our website.
The PA Trails of History locations across Pennsylvania.
How to Apply
Applying is easy – simply click the link for the internship you’re interested in from our website or click “Apply” from the internship posting.
Please note that an unofficial transcript must be uploaded as part of the application process. Submissions will be reviewed and applicants will be notified if selected for a virtual interview.
Questions regarding the Keystone Summer Internship Program may be directed to MegAnn Carey at mecarey@pa.gov.
Applications are due by 2/8/2026 11:59 PM EST.
Comment Policy
PHMC welcomes and encourages topic-related comments on this blog. PHMC reserves the right to remove comments that in PHMC’s discretion do not follow participation guidelines.
Commenters and Comments shall be related to the blog post topic and respectful of others who use this site.
Commenters and Comments shall not: use language that is offensive, inflammatory or provocative (this includes, but is not limited to, using profanity, obscene, or vulgar comments); disparage other commenters or people; condone illegal activity; identify the location of known or suspected archeological sites; post personal information in comments such as addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses or other contact details, which may relate to you or other individuals; impersonate or falsely claim to represent a person or an organization; make any commercial endorsement or promotion of any product, service or publication.
If you would like to comment on other topics not related to this blog post but related to PHMC, please fill out the PHMC Contact Us Form.
Leave a Reply