Ryan Learning Center Woman's Board Fellow

About the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity.

About the Department

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art. We celebrate curiosity and creativity, with the conviction that meaningful experiences with art and with the museum enrich people's lives, connect people to one another, and build confidence and the capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of the world.

With an enduring commitment to equitable access, the Ryan Learning Center team engages children, teens, families, students, and educators through a wide array of programs, partnerships, and resources. These include guided gallery experiences, studio workshops, youth leadership opportunities, festivals and events, neighborhood-based engagements, and professional learning experiences. We serve all museum audiences through our free and accessible public learning space, the Ryan Learning Center.

Through these experiences, learners can confidently engage with the museum as a resource, be critical thinkers and imaginative creators, and animate the museum as a place of insight, expression, and community.

By focusing on Chicago learners and centering civic partnerships in our work, the Ryan Learning Center activates and amplifies the museum's civic role and strategic priorities to serve Chicago audiences; expand our presence within neighborhoods; and cultivate a visitorship that reflects our city.

Position Summary

The Ryan Learning Center Woman's Board Fellow offers an aspiring museum education professional the opportunity to learn about and contribute to the work of a museum's learning department over the course of one year, with a special focus on facilitating museum tours for students and their teachers.

As part of the K-12 Student Experiences team, the fellow will participate in an initial intensive training that will build their understanding and capacity to lead accessible, inclusive, multi-sensory, and multimodal student learning experiences during the school year. The fellow will be a part of a cohort of educators who collectively support and carry out the museum's K-12 offerings by leading tours, responding to teacher inquiries, and engaging in research and lesson plan development.

The fellow will contribute to other programmatic areas within the Ryan Learning Center; in particular, they will work with the Creative Spaces team to support family and multigenerational art-making programs in the Art Exchange, which is the public space of the Ryan Learning Center. In the summer, the fellow will provide mentorship and support for the Ryan Learning Center Internship program, which hosts a cohort of 10 college students.

The fellow may contribute to efforts around resource production or teacher professional development, as needs and opportunity arise.

The fellow will join a museum-wide cohort of interns and fellows and will have access to a range of programs to support their professional development. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience, and the fellow will join a network that includes alumni and museum professionals that can support their career pathway in future years.

This is a one-year, full-time 35 hour-per-week onsite position beginning on September 2, 2026 and ending on August 31, 2027. From September 2, 2026 through May 28, 2027 this position will hold a Tuesday-Saturday weekly schedule. From June 1 through August 31, 2027 this position will hold a Monday-Friday weekly schedule. Occasional evening work may be required. Must be available to attend all initial training sessions held from September 2 - September 25, 2026 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

The Fellow should not plan extended time off in March, April, or May.

Responsibilities

* Active Teaching and Training:
On a weekly…