Special Collection Intern ( 2 )

United States Golf Association Museum & World Golf Hall of Fame Job Location: Date Created: 09/01/2026

The USGA is a mission-based golf organization whose purpose is to unify the golf community through handicapping and grassroots programs; to showcase the game’s best talent through the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and 13 other national championships and our museum; to provide unbiased global governance with The R&A through the playing, equipment and Amateur Status rules; and to advance issues important to golf’s future, with a focus on driving sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. As a nonprofit association, our work and our team are driven to act for the good of the game.The USGA’s headquarters are located in Liberty Corner, NJ, with a recently opened campus in Pinehurst, NC.For more, visit usga.org.

About This Role

The USGA Golf Museum and World Golf Hall of Fame seeks a recent graduate or currently enrolled student in Museum Studies, Library Science, Archival Studies, or a related field for a paid internship in the nation’s oldest sports museum. Founded in 1936, the USGA Golf Museum is the world’s leading institution for the collection, preservation, interpretation, and dissemination of golf history. Since 1936, the Museum has connected golfers, sports fans, and scholars with remarkable artifacts, documents, images, and stories that chronicle golf’s rich history.

The Museum Collection comprises more than 85,000 cataloged objects documenting the history of golf from its origins to the present day, while the Library and Special Collections contain more than 500,000 cataloged items, including championship and personal archives, rare books, photographs, periodicals, institutional records, memorabilia, and other materials documenting the game from around the world. Together, these collections support exhibitions, research, scholarship, and public engagement through the USGA Golf Museum and World Golf Hall of Fame.

The Museum and Library Intern will assist with numerous projects supporting the Museum Collection and Special Collections. The intern will gain valuable experience in several areas of collections care, archival processing, cataloging, digitization, research, and collections management through hands‑on work with historic artifacts and archival materials. Interns can expect to make meaningful contributions to projects that improve the preservation, organization, accessibility, and documentation of collections. This internship is a unique opportunity to gain hands‑on experience working with world‑class collections while helping preserve and share the history of golf.

What You’ll Do

Collections Care, Processing & Cataloging

• Assist with long‑term collections projects, including the rehousing, organization, arrangement, description, and cataloging of museum artifacts and archival materials.
• Catalog materials within the Museum’s collections management system, TMS Collections, and assist in maintaining accurate and complete records.
• Develop familiarity with the TMS Record Style Guide and support the standardization of existing collection records.
• Support the movement, organization, and reshelving of materials across museum, library, and archival storage locations.
• Assist with receiving and releasing shipments, packing collection materials for transport, and completing condition reports.
• Ensure proper housing, storage, and handling of artifacts and archival materials.
• Support gallery and collections storage maintenance through climate monitoring, integrated pest management, and other preservation activities.
• Assist with additional collections management and processing projects as directed.

Digitization & Collections Access

• Support the digitization of archival materials and collection assets.
• Assist with metadata creation and cataloging in TMS Collections and TMS Media Studio.
• Help improve the accessibility, discoverability, and documentation of collections through accurate record‑keeping and digital asset management.
• Contribute to projects that enhance the organization and long‑term stewardship of the Museum and Library collections.
• Assist with research requests and onsite research visits.
• Support the preparation and organization of collection materials for exhibitions, publications, and other Museum and Hall of Fame projects.
• Conduct collection‑based research to support exhibitions, scholarship, and special initiatives.
• Assist with projects that promote, interpret, and provide access to the Museum, Library, and World Golf Hall of Fame collections.
• Support additional research, exhibition, and engagement projects as assigned.

Where you’ll be

This role will be based at our Liberty Corner, NJ campus, working approximately 20 hours per week, ideally with 3 days per week on‑site, between Monday – Friday. The intern should be able to commit to at least one full semester.

What you bring

• Currently enrolled student or recent graduate of an MA program in Museum Studies or related field
• Ability to work independently with strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to think creatively and thoughtfully when faced with unique storage needs and willingness to voice opinions on housing methods
• Willingness to work collaboratively with team members
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products
• Experience with museum databases a plus

Compensation:

The rate of pay is $20 per hour, plus overtime in accordance with applicable New Jersey law.

The USGA is an equal opportunity employer. Our organization believes we are stronger by embracing our diverse backgrounds and perspectives, promoting equity so all teammates can excel and grow in their careers, and fostering experiences to drive inclusion in our workplace and game. Golf is a game for everyone, and you are always welcome.

There are no related documents for this job post.