Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship
The Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship at The Met offers two years of immersive curatorial research and training in Islamic Art or European Sculpture and Decorative Arts.
Funder: Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) — https://www.metmuseum.org
Due Dates: October 16, 2026 (Application deadline, 5 pm ET)
Funding Amounts: $66,300 annual salary (2 years) | $6,000 research travel stipend | Full-time benefits
Summary: Two-year postdoctoral fellowship providing curatorial training and research opportunities in Islamic Art or European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at The Met.
Key Information: All application materials, including recommendation letters, must be submitted online by the deadline; PhD awarded no more than 5 years prior to deadline required.
Description
This prestigious two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is designed for early-career scholars seeking immersive curatorial training and scholarly engagement. Fellows work closely with a curatorial supervisor on a specialized project related to The Met’s collection or an upcoming exhibition, and also develop an independent research initiative. The program aims to foster the next generation of curatorial leaders by providing deep, hands-on experience in collection research, cataloguing, provenance studies, and exhibition planning. Fellows participate in collaborative programs such as "Research Out Loud: Met Fellows Present," interact with a global community of museum professionals, and contribute to The Met’s digital and public humanities efforts. The 2027–2029 cycle offers placements in the Department of Islamic Art and the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts.
