Internship Archives & Collections

Vlisco possesses one of the largest single textile archives in the world, with more than 350,000 wax prints and hundreds of sample books dating back to the early 1800s, tracing a transcontinental history of textiles.

Vlisco is elevating its Archive into a creative engine room that fuels design innovation, deepens brand storytelling, and enhances its global cultural presence. To support this process, we are looking for a curious, research-oriented, and hands-on Archive & Collections Intern with an interest in cultural heritage.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct research related to the history, cultural context, and legacy of Vlisco.
• Support the digitization, registration, and data entry of the collection.
• Assist with internal and external research requests.
• Contribute to both long-term research projects and day-to-day archive activities.
• Provide general daily support to the Archive Manager and Archive Coordinator.
• Report by summarising research findings and formulating clear, practical recommendations.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a programme in Art History, Cultural Studies, Museology, or a related field.
• Strong interest in research, archives, collections, and cultural heritage.
• Proficiency in Dutch and English, written and spoken; additional languages are a plus.
• Hands-on, proactive, and willing to support daily archive operations.
• Accurate and methodical working style, especially when handling collection data.
• Good communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a small team.
• Basic experience with digital tools such as databases, Excel, and collection systems is a plus.

What Vlisco offers

• A challenging and educational internship of 16 weeks or longer.
• The opportunity to gain hands-on experience in one of Europe’s most significant textile archives.
• A highly creative working environment and involvement in meaningful cultural projects.
• Guidance and supervision.