SIMA Now Accepting Applications for Its 2026 Program

The Summer Institute in Museum Anthropology (SIMA) is now accepting proposals from prospective graduate student participants for its 2026 program, which will be held next summer at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, June 22–July 17, 2026.

SIMA Research Internships are intended for graduate students who are preparing for research careers in cultural anthropology, but students in related interdisciplinary programs (Indigenous Studies, Folklore, etc.) are considered if the proposed project explores issues of importance to cultural anthropology and if an anthropology faculty member at the student’s university commits to supervise its implementation.

During four weeks of training, research interns become acquainted with strategies for navigating museum systems, learn to select methods to examine and analyze archival and museum collections, and consider a range of theoretical issues that collections-based research may address. SIMA Research Interns are also taught about the ethics of engaging with communities’ belongings in museums, and the practicalities of doing collaborative research.

The program covers Research Interns’ room, board, and tuition. Housing is provided and a small stipend will be provided for food and other local expenses. Participants are individually responsible for the cost of travel to and from Washington, DC. Application Deadline is March 1, 2026, and students will typically be notified of acceptance within 4 weeks after the deadline.

In support of each summer’s program, Collections and Archives Internships are also offered to graduate students enrolled in or recently graduated from a graduate program in archives, library science, museum studies, or anthropology.