Museum Fellow, Curatorial

Job Overview

The Textile Museum Collection, founded in 1925 and housed at The George Washington University Museum & the Textile Museum, is a world‑renowned textile arts collection of 21,000 objects from Asian, African, and Indigenous American cultures. Its mission is to expand public knowledge and appreciation of the world’s textiles through exhibitions, programs, and academic courses that enrich research, education, and cultural understanding of textile arts both within and beyond GW.

The TM Curatorial Fellowship is a one‑year appointment with a single renewal option for a maximum of two consecutive years. The fellowship runs from September 1 to August 31 and requires the fellow to conduct research and curatorial work primarily at the Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center on the Virginia Science and Technology Campus (Ashburn, VA) and at GW’s Foggy Bottom campus.

• Conduct independent collections research and interpret the textile collection for exhibitions, publications, and other knowledge dissemination.
• Present one scholarly talk and at least one public lecture based on research findings.
• Write a full‑length article for The Textile Museum Journal no later than the end of the appointment.
• Provide up‑to‑date curatorial information for objects in the fellowship research area.
• Participate in curatorial meetings, events, and seminars.
• Contribute to the development of museum strategies for scholarly information dissemination, including electronic means.
• Engage with the scholarly community and support museum‑generated scholarly initiatives.
• Deliver a final report to the Director of The George Washington University Museum, the Chief Curator of The Textile Museum Collection, and the fellowship program director detailing work accomplished.
• Arrange living accommodations and work travel between the VSTC and Foggy Bottom campuses as required.

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study.
• PhD candidate or holder within the past two years, pursuing or completed in a discipline aligned with textile studies.
• Research interests that correspond with the museum’s current activities, research, and academic engagement goals.

• Background in textiles from Mexico or Southeast Asia (desired but not required).

The fellowship offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition assistance, well‑being programs, and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.