Organizer Information
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is one of the world’s leading art museums, housing an encyclopedic collection spanning thousands of years of global art and cultural heritage. Through its Fellowship Program, The Met supports emerging scholars and museum professionals by providing opportunities for advanced research, curatorial training, professional development, and direct engagement with its collections, staff, libraries, and research resources. The Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship is designed to strengthen the curatorial profession by preparing promising early-career scholars for careers in museums and curatorial practice.
Title & Description
Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship
The Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship is a two-year fellowship for early-career postdoctoral scholars seeking advanced curatorial training and experience at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. For the 2027–2029 cycle, two fellowships will be awarded, with one position focused on Islamic Art and another on European Sculpture and Decorative Arts.
The Islamic Art fellowship focuses particularly on Mughal and later Indian textiles and carpets, their connections with Safavid Iran, Ottoman and East Asian traditions, global circulation networks, and the development of floral ornament. Fellows will undertake object-based research, collection cataloguing, exhibition and gallery development, digital humanities projects, and public interpretation.
The European Sculpture and Decorative Arts fellowship emphasizes original scholarly and provenance research, including the investigation of ownership histories, archival sources, collectors, dealers, auction houses, and objects with gaps in provenance between 1933 and 1945.
Both fellows work with a dedicated curatorial supervisor and mentor and may also pursue an independent research project.
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Art History
- Museum Studies
- Islamic Art
- Textile Art & Decorative Arts
- Sculpture
- Provenance Research
- Cultural Heritage
- Digital Humanities
Eligibility
The fellowship is international. Applicants must hold a PhD by the application deadline, with a specialization relevant to one of the two fellowship projects, and must have received their PhD no more than five years before the deadline.
The Islamic Art position particularly welcomes scholars specializing in Mughal or Persian art history, Indo-Persian textiles, early modern South Asian material culture, and related fields. Persian and Devanagari reading skills, knowledge of textile production techniques, strong writing ability, and connoisseurship experience are advantageous.
Candidates for European Sculpture and Decorative Arts should demonstrate experience in original research and cataloguing, provenance research, written communication, and digital art-historical resources. Familiarity with The Met’s collections and TMS is preferred.
Non-US citizens and non-permanent residents may apply if they have or can obtain appropriate US work authorization.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Two-year fellowship from September 1, 2027 to August 31, 2029
- Annual salary of $66,300, less applicable taxes and deductions
- $6,000 research travel stipend, provided through reimbursement
- Health and dental benefits available to eligible full-time exempt staff
- Dedicated curatorial supervision and mentorship
- Access to The Met’s collections, libraries, research resources, and professional community
- Training in object-based research, cataloguing, provenance research, exhibition development, and digital curatorial practice
- Participation in professional workshops and the Research Out Loud: Met Fellows Present program
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 15 October 2026
- Notification: By the last Friday of February following the application deadline
- Fellowship period: September 1, 2027 – August 31, 2029
Location
New York City, United States
Additional Details
The selection process includes departmental review, possible virtual interviews for finalists, and final review by The Met’s Grants Committee. The museum does not provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants. International applicants may be eligible for J-1 Exchange Visitor visa sponsorship, but The Met does not reimburse visa application costs.