Description

Summer 2026 internship

This internship is ideal for students majoring in Landscape Architecture who are exploring a career in a public garden or other public institution. The internship is an in-person opportunity to assist the Smithsonian Institution's Landscape Architects at Smithsonian Gardens with a wide-variety of projects that range in scale from large-scale master plans to garden exhibit design and planting design. Intern projects typically involve the development of designs, presentations, and/or planning reports. All assignments require effective project management skills.

Interns participate in all aspects of the planning, design, and construction process, from review of design documents to site visits, detailed exhibit design, preparation of illustrative plans, renderings, planting plans, product research, construction observation, and meetings with architects, engineers, museum representatives, and approving agencies that give a sense of the breadth and depth of landscape architecture at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC’s Monumental Core. Experience in CAD and the Adobe Creative Suite is required.

In addition to collaborating on large-scale capital projects, landscape architect interns assist with designs for horticulture displays within our garden galleries and exhibitions for exterior and interior gardens, like Smithsonian Garden’s biennial Orchid Exhibit and campus-wide exhibition series.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Applicants must be enrolled in a landscape architecture program or recently graduated from one. Selection is based on both an evaluation of the applicant’s application and available positions.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop) required.
• Proficiency in 3-D modeling programs preferred (SketchUp). Proficiency in hand sketches desired.
• Self-motivated and willing both to work independently and to collaborate.
• Applicants must be available for 10 weeks during the summer

Candidates must pay for their own travel, housing, and subsistence during the period of the internship. A stipend of $7,000 will be provided to support you during your 10-week internship.

Requirements for applying to the Smithsonian Gardens intern program:

• Submit an online application.
• Two letters of recommendation
• CV/Resume
• Portfolio (max. 10 pages/5MB uploaded via SOLAA using the CV/Resume link)
• College transcript(s)
• Essay describing background, interest in field, and career goals.
• Submit application through the link on the Smithsonian Gardens Internship webpage: https://gardens.si.edu/learn/internships/landscape-architecture-internship/   
• Application Deadline: February 1, 2026.