Hawaii Keiki Museum - Waikoloa

Mentor: Dana McLaughlin

STEM Fields: Oceanography, Chemistry, Biology, Math, Arts, Physics, Astronomy, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Drones, Robots, Building Science and more!

Internship Research Goal: Working hands-on with museum exhibits about island science, interns will help us capture the stories, and describe how specific exhibits inspire curiosity and deepen understanding for keiki and their caregivers. Notice areas for improvement and develop actionable suggestions to problem solve common issues.

About Hawaii Keiki Museum – Waikoloa

The Hawai‘i Keiki Museum is dedicated to sparking curiosity and inspiring keiki through hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Students interning at our site will gain real-world experience in informal STEM education and museum operations. Opportunities may include:

Assisting with interactive science demonstrations and guiding young learners through exhibits.
Supporting museum staff in preparing and delivering STEM-focused activities for school groups and community visitors.
Learning about exhibit design and contributing to the development of new educational displays.
Shadowing staff during community outreach events and workshops.
Students will develop skills in communication, teamwork, and public engagement while also gaining insight into careers in museum education, science communication, and nonprofit operations.

Meet Our Internship Mentor: Dana McLaughlin

Founder/Executive Director: Dana McLaughlin started combining technology and early child development while a student working on robotics at the MIT Media Lab. She has an MBA from San Jose State and has worked as a technology program manager for Walt Disney, Yahoo! and Apple. She has a lifetime of experience teaching teens and running a non-profit as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol.

Internship duties and responsibilities

As an “Ambassador of Curiosity” you will become familiar with all the exhibits, their learning goals, and be able to guide patrons to explore and engage with them, inspiring wonder, and sparking curiosity:

Monitor exhibits & guide patrons toward safe play
Assist with on-loan special exhibits, shows, and presentations
Daily cleaning tasks for the exhibits, gift shop shelves and floors
Perform opening and closing duties and other daily operations
Support special events
Work as a team and fill in at the Front Desk when needed

Interns should be able to:

Engage with visitors of all ages, adapting language and explanations to be accessible, friendly, and informative, creating an aloha environment.
Maintain a positive attitude while managing changing priorities or unexpected challenges.
Quickly address visitor inquiries, concerns, or exhibit issues with calm and resourcefulness, escalating to a supervisor when necessary.
Sustain enthusiasm and energy throughout shifts, working effectively in a lively, sometimes crowded, sometimes empty setting with patience and professionalism.
Perform physical duties, including moving light equipment or assisting with exhibit set-up, as needed, ensuring safety and care in handling museum property.

2026 Internship Schedule:

Onboarding during spring break (8 hours): March 16–20, 2026. During this visit, students will receive an orientation to the museum, learn about exhibit facilitation, and assist with at least one school field trip or community workshop.

Summer Internship (40 hours): Beginning the week of May 29, 2026, students will complete 40 hours of work with us (8 half-days). Tasks will include supporting field trip programming, assisting with summer workshops, and shadowing staff on exhibit and outreach projects. We are flexible with scheduling and can adjust to best fit the students’ needs.

*Schedules are tentative and are subject to change. Interns will be required to work 8 hours in the Spring 2026. Interns will be required to work 40 hours in the Summer 2026.

Internship Meeting Locations:
The Kings’ Shops
69-250 Waikoloa Beach Dr.