UVA Students
Artist Damien Shen teaches UVA students drawing.
Kaitlyn LaGrasta (CLAS 2016) stands in front of a painted rock in the UVA art museums art storage facility as part of a research project. Photo by Tom Cogill.
UVA students help install an artwork on UVA Grounds by acclaimed Aboriginal artist Vernon Ah Kee.
UVA student Annalee Jackson teaches a plein-air painting workshop at Kluge-Ruhe has part of her internship.
Thomas ES Kelly teaches UVA students Indigenous dance moves.
Students discuss a painting by Harry Tjutjuna in Kluge-Ruhe's on-site art storage.
Torres Strait artist David Bosun proofs linoprints he made in collaboration with UVA students. Photo by Tom Cogill.
UVA students give a tour of their class-curated exhibition at Kluge-Ruhe. Photo by Tom Cogill.
A Sorry Wall developed for the 2017 Tom Tom Founders Festival by a UVA student during her internship.
8 FAQs for UVA Students
How can I know what’s going on at Kluge-Ruhe?
- To learn about upcoming events, see our calendar.
- Sign up for our email newsletter at the bottom of this page. We only send a few emails per month and keep you up-to-date on exciting opportunities and events happening at Kluge-Ruhe.
- Find us on Facebook and Instagram: @klugeruhe
- Visit the museum and sign up to become a member! Membership is free for UVA students, all we need is your email address and a valid student ID. You’ll be added to our mailing list, get free Kluge-Ruhe swag if you want it, and be invited to all of the members-only opportunities.
Are there classes on Indigenous Australian art and culture at UVA?
Yes! Look for courses in SIS taught by our curator of research Henry Skerritt. They are cross-listed under Art History and Anthropology. Past classes include: How Aboriginal People Invented the Idea of Contemporary Art; Aboriginal Art and Culture; and Sex, Spirits and Sorcery. There is also a six-credit Museum Internship course; learn more below.
Where is Kluge-Ruhe?
We have a beautiful location with mountain views on the east side of Charlottesville, less than 5 miles from UVA Grounds on Pantops mountain. Click here to learn how to get here.
We’re the only museum in the USA dedicated to Indigenous Australian art so Kluge-Ruhe is a really nice place to bring your parents or friends when they visit Charlottesville.
What does the museum do on Grounds?
We often have an exhibition of Aboriginal art on Grounds, and we sometimes have artworks from our collection on view at The Fralin Museum of Art. We also host symposia, lectures and exhibitions on Grounds on a regular basis. Indigenous Australian artists guest-lecture in UVA classes every semester. Check out our calendar to see what’s happening right now.
What internships do you offer?
University Museums Internship: This is a two-semester six-credit course at UVA that features an academic curriculum in Museum Studies organized by Academic Curator Jordan Love, as well as the opportunity to intern at Kluge-Ruhe or the Fralin Museum of Art. Students apply for entrance to the course every Spring semester during the pre-registration period (ARTH 4951-4952/GDS 4951-4952).
Summer Collections Management Internship: The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia is the largest public collection of Indigenous Australian art outside of Australia. The selected applicant for the summer Collections Management internship at Kluge-Ruhe will report to the museum’s Senior Collections Manager and Registrar and will work directly with the museum’s permanent collection. The chosen candidate will receive the proper training necessary to handle, house, document and assess the condition of various media. The summer Collections Management intern at Kluge-Ruhe will help inventory the permanent collection and process new acquisitions. Other tasks related to the project may include data entry, research, and writing.
Applications are open to rising 2nd, 3rd, 4th Year Studio or Art History declared undergraduate majors at UVA. The summer internship normally begins in June/July and is typically 8 weeks and approximately 30 hours per week (240 hours total), though start dates, number of weeks and hours per week are negotiable so long as 240 hours are completed between May 19 and August 15, 2026.
Other requirements:
- Attend an in-person meet and greet hosted by the UVA Department of Art on April 30, 2026
- Attend a mid-internship field trip with interns from other Charlottesvile-based arts organizations on July 10th
- Develop a 5-8 minute final internship presentation to be presented to select Art Department faculty and staff on August 7th
- Complete a short survey created by the Department of Art
- Submit a photograph and caption to be posted on the Department of Art’s Instagram account.
Interested students should send any questions and application materials, including a cover letter, CV and contact information for two references (at least one from a UVA faculty member) to anw9s@virginia.edu by April 3, 2026. Applicants will be notified of decisions by April 24, 2026. The selected candidate will receive a stipend of $3600 (half paid by May 31st and half by June 30th)
How else can I get involved?
Volunteer: The museum has a robust volunteer program and we welcome students who can make a commitment of at least one year. Learn more about volunteering here.
Become a Student Ambassador: Because the museum is not on Grounds, it remains unknown to many UVA students. Help us get the word out by becoming a Kluge-Ruhe Ambassador! This role involves publicizing Kluge-Ruhe to peers by distributing the museum’s swag, encouraging visits to Kluge-Ruhe, flyering posters for programs on Grounds and sharing the museum’s social media posts widely. Contact us at kluge-ruhe@virginia.edu if interested.
Can my CIO, sorority, fraternity or club get a tour of Kluge-Ruhe?
Yes! Tours for UVA groups are free. Groups of less than 10 people can join one of our free daily tours at 10:30 am or 1:30 pm, or you can contact us to schedule a special tour outside of those times or for larger groups.
What have other students said about Kluge-Ruhe?
“My six weeks here, while short, were packed with so many amazing museum-work experiences. While working here I have observed and helped with transporting artworks, the installation process, and behind-the-scenes database work. I have really enjoyed my time here and am so grateful I had the opportunity to work at Kluge-Ruhe this summer! – Ava Spokas, Summer Collections Management Intern, 2025
“Over my year-long internship at Kluge-Ruhe, I got the opportunity to be immersed in the museum’s collection and deepen my understanding both of Aboriginal art as well as of marketing, the department of the museum I was working in. I loved getting the chance to learn about the inner workings of a museum firsthand, see Kluge-Ruhe’s incredible collection of works, and get to know everyone at the museum over the past year!” – Sofia Basadre, UMI Class Intern, 2025-26
“I get to engage with people from all walks of life whom I may not have met otherwise.” – Victoria Armstrong, COL 2018
“The Kluge-Ruhe education internship has been the gold standard of my working experiences. As one of my first major jobs, the leadership and work environment were crucial to my experience. Now that I’m in new working environments 4-5 years later, I have high expectations for what it should look and feel like to learn in a professional role thanks to the team at Kluge-Ruhe. The education team has an amazing capability to make their thinking and decision making visible. I learned so much that I would have never known to ask due to their commitment to transparency in their leadership.” – Annalee Jackson, COL 2018
“In Fall 2017 I was able to interview Julie Gough about her experience exhibiting her art in museums. She discussed with me how she feels as a contemporary artist who is often put into unwelcome categories by museum institutions. It was really impactful to hear her experience and learn what she wants out of a museum. As someone who wants to work in museums and work with indigenous artists, it was extremely insightful and I am really appreciative of that opportunity.” – Hannah Hicks, COL 2018
“Kluge-Ruhe has been the thread throughout my career that has never broken” – Charlotte Barstow, COL 2017
“Working with the Collection provided hands on experience and knowledge that I continue to cultivate in my daily life. I currently work as Collections Manager at University of Mary Washington Galleries (Fredericksburg) and as Educator and Visitor Services Associate at The Valentine (Richmond). Whether I am cataloguing and caring for the works in UMW’s collection or leading an educational outreach program for The Valentine, I interweave that which I learned from Kluge-Ruhe. The multifaceted internship at Kluge-Ruhe helped me gain a better understanding of Collections, Exhibition Planning/Curating, Education, and the daily workings of a museum. Kluge-Ruhe not only opened my eyes to the individual and collective efforts in such a setting but also the complexity and creativity of Aboriginal cultures.” – Elena Dennie, COL 2014