Work With Us
Join our Team at Ellwood House Museum
Are you interested in volunteer opportunities, internships, or museum employment? The Ellwood House Museum offers a range of ways to get involved in historic preservation, education, and community engagement. Our mission is to connect visitors with authentic examples of ingenuity and architecture through the historic Ellwood mansion, gardens, and museum campus. We rely on a dedicated team of volunteers, interns, board members, and staff to bring this mission to life. Explore current openings below and discover how you can be part of our team in DeKalb.
Tour Guide and Operations Internship
This internship position will assist during the museum’s fall season by delivering tours, supporting museum operations in the Visitor Center, and aiding in the setup and execution of Holiday Tours and the Holiday Open House.
Great for any students interested in nonprofits, museums, management, communication, and event planning. Apply by September 18.
William C. Lundberg Internship at the Berg Garden
While working with museum staff and volunteers, interns will care for the Berg Garden. Originally planted in 1903, the garden was reestablished through the generosity of Bill and Patsy Lundberg in 2013. Historic photos, diary entries, and the skills of local landscape designer David Storm were utilized to bring new life to the landscape.
Great for any students interested in history, horticulture, gardening, and native plant species. Open until filled.
Selenia Rolfe Towle Teague Education Internship
The primary focus of the internship will be to assist with educational programming at the museum, including “Holiday Traditions” decorating and “Time Travelers” second grade field trips . The intern will learn the public tour programs and deliver those tours to a diverse audience. This internship requires a background check.
Great for any students interested in education, history, and museums. Apply by September 15.
Racial Diversity
Internship
This internship is designed to support groups underrepresented in the museum field through hands -on experience and professional mentorship. It is highly customizable, focusing on one or two areas based on the applicant’s skills and goals. Please see internship description for more information.
Great for any student looking to pursue a career in the museum or nonprofit fields. Apply by September 15.
Jerry and Annette Johns Collections Internship
The Jerry & Annette Johns Collections Intern will be responsible for assisting museum staff with the care, cataloging, and storage of museum artifacts and preparing the Ellwood mansion for the annual holiday event.
Great for any students interested in museums, collections, anthropology, history, exhibits, and cataloguing. Apply by September 15.
What our former interns are saying:
“(This internship) helped me gained experience and abilities that would help me succeed as a museum curator or as someone who works in a museum. Through my experience at the Ellwood House Museum, I gained proper skills that worked well when it came to applying to other museums as well. The skills I gained helped me land positions in the Pick Museum of Anthropology at Northern Illinois University and sharpened my public speaking skills by working as a tour guide. Now, I feel more confident working to educate the public which is what I want to do as a museum curator.”
-2025 Racial Diversity Intern
“One thing that inspired me was the actual practices put forth by the museum to preserve history. The importance of keeping good records both digitally and physically was something that I was thinking of before starting the internship, but was highlighted even more while I was working at the museum.”
-2024 Education Intern
“It was informative and a great experience.”
“I feel better equipped for archaeological curation or museum work in the future.”
“I was inspired by the museum's outreach to the local community.”
“I had a great experience working at the Ellwood House, and I am very grateful that I had this opportunity.”
-2024 Collections Intern
Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Ellwood House Museum believes in equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic by federal, local or state laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, promotion, termination, layoff, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We hope to inspire awareness and curiosity for those who are interested in history, the arts, and the world that surrounds us.