Smithsonian Programs for High School Students
The Smithsonian's youth programs put students behind the scenes of the world's largest museum complex — natural-history research, design workshops at Cooper Hewitt, and internships across its museums.
These are rare credentials for students aimed at the humanities, museum sciences, or design, and the Smithsonian's name travels well beyond D.C.
6 verified Smithsonian programs, 6 free — every listing includes cost, eligibility, deadline, and the official application link.
Featured programs
Browse 6+ curated programs for high school students:
- Smithsonian Teen Volunteer — Smithsonian Institution: Assist with museum programs, events, and visitor services at Smithsonian museums.
- Smithsonian Digital Volunteers — Smithsonian Institution: Transcribe historical documents and help digitize museum collections.
- Cooper Hewitt Design Challenge — Smithsonian Design Museum: Join a virtual high school competition to design data-driven solutions for community challenges. Build hands-on design skills and boost your college a
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Internships — Smithsonian Institution: Explore hands-on high school research internships in environmental science at the Smithsonian. Build skills in ecology, boost college applications, an
- YES! Teen Internship Program — Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Explore STEM with a paid internship at the Smithsonian! Open to high schoolers, this in-person program builds science skills and strengthens college a
- Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internships — Smithsonian Institution: Smithsonian internships in folklife research, the Folklife Festival, Folkways Recordings, archives, and education - explicitly open to high school stu
Frequently asked questions
Does Smithsonian offer programs for high school students?
Yes — ExtracurricularHub lists 6 verified Smithsonian programs open to high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. The Smithsonian's youth programs put students behind the scenes of the world's largest museum complex — natural-history research, design workshops at Cooper Hewitt, and internships across its museums.
Are any Smithsonian high school programs free?
Yes — 6 of the Smithsonian programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Funded programs are often the most selective, so apply early and to more than one.
Which Smithsonian deadlines are coming up soonest?
The next deadlines: Cooper Hewitt Design Challenge (February 2, 2027); Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Internships (February 15, 2027); Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internships (March 1, 2027). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the official Smithsonian page.
How competitive are Smithsonian programs?
It varies widely within one organization — flagship selective programs sit alongside broad-access options. Read each listing's eligibility, and treat the selective ones as reach applications: apply to several programs across organizations rather than betting a summer on one.