Every Open Art Museum Directorship in the United States

There’s been a lot of drama in the world of museum directors lately, not the least of which is the collapse of the museum director. Philadelphia Museum of Art. Perhaps equally striking, however, is the sheer number of open directorships at American art museums. Just in the past two days, there have been two major job openings: Queens MuseumSally Tallant, who has held the role since 2019, will leave to lead London Hayward Gallery; and in Telfair Museum David Brenneman, a 2024 hire, announced his departure in Savannah, Georgia, citing an unspecified serious medical condition.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. A significant number of American art museums currently don’t have a director—or will soon have one. (If any of these positions have been filled, the appointments have not been made public.) Perhaps the most high-profile vacancy is national portrait galleryThe agency has been without a director since Kim Sajet, who had led the agency since 2013, resigned last June after President Trump tried to fire her. A brief standoff ensued between the Smithsonian and Trump. Saget has since held the company’s top job. Milwaukee Art Museum.

But the National Portrait Gallery is not the only institution with a large operating budget—some $20 million or more—without a permanent director. Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art The museum has been without management since Johanna Burton, its fifth director since 2008, left last year to lead the museum. PhiladelphiaICA. In New York, Lisa Phillips new museum Set to depart in April since 1999; a successor has not yet been announced. December, Portland Art Museum Brian Ferriso, director since 2006, has left the Dallas Museum of Art. exist Amon Carter Museum of American Art In Fort Worth, Dr. Andrew J. Walker stepped down at the end of August after 14 years at the helm. Olivier Meslay directs in September Clark Art Institute He has worked in Williamstown, Mass., since 2016 and announced he will be leaving this summer. this newark art museum— New Jersey’s largest museum with a collection of about 130,000 works of art and 170,000 science and natural history objects — lost its director of six years last spring, Linda Harrison, who resigned for family reasons; the museum is now led by two interim co-directors. besides Smithsonian American Art Museum The company has had an acting director since Stephanie Stebich reportedly left in 2024 due to employee complaints.

Entering the $15M+ Category, Halona Norton-Westbrook, Director Honolulu Museum of Art Promoted to Director in July 2020 Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art–The vacancy needs to be filled given the retiring of Marla Price, who has held the position since 1992. San Diego Museum of Contemporary ArtKathryn Kanjo, a director since 2016, will spend her last day on Jan. 30 before leaving to lead UC Irvine Ransom Orange County Museum of Art. Raphaela Platow is gone Speed ​​Art MuseumKentucky’s oldest and largest art museum opened last August for personal reasons after four years in the role.

In smaller regional museums, Cincinnati Contemporary Art Center It was announced last month that its director Christina Vassallo will leave on January 2 after three years in the role; she has become the company’s executive director Pew Center for Arts & Heritage In Philadelphia. exist Columbia Museum of Art The museum in Columbia, South Carolina, was considered relatively small until it began receiving nearly 80 Renaissance and Baroque works from the Kress Foundation in 1954. Della Watkins, director since 2017, will leave in April, reportedly to care for her aging parents. this Montgomery Museum of Fine ArtsAlabama’s oldest fine arts museum and the first in the state to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums has been without a permanent director since 2023.

Leading college and university museums are also changing. Lynn Gumpert will retire in mid-April 2025 after serving as a professor at New York University Gray Art Museum Since 1997; successor has not yet been named. this Wexner Center for the Arts Ohio State has been without a director since Gaëtane Verna resigned last October amid staff dissatisfaction and budget concerns. Jessica Levin Martinez, Dean, Cornell University Herbert Johnson Art Museum She will start her new role next month, starting in 2019, as Corning Museum of Glass. this Hood Museum of Art Dartmouth College, home to one of the oldest and most diverse university museums in the United States, announced in October that its director, John Stomberg, would retire in June after ten years on the job. at Florida International University Patricia and Philip Frost Art Museum In Miami, Miriam Machado has served as interim director since Joyce Pomeroy left to lead the company in 2024 currier art museum In Manchester, New Hampshire. besides Krannert Museum of Art The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has had an interim director since July, when Jon Seydl, who had led the museum since 2017, left to become director. Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College.

In a professional but still prestigious category, Norman Rockwell Museum The Stockbridge, Mass.-based company will lose its director of 40 years when Laurie Norton Moffatt retires later this year.

Last but not least, for those who follow U.S. museum leadership closely, it’s worth noting that the longest-serving director has recently resigned. Louis Zona Butler Institute of American Art The museum in Youngstown, Ohio, was the first museum dedicated exclusively to American art and had led the institution since 1981, until he retired in December.

2023 new york times The article details the many challenges museum directors face, from diversifying collections and addressing labor issues to handling restitution claims and increasing scrutiny of board members. Since then, the list of complications has continued to grow. Another open position underscores the point: at Pepperdine University Frederick Weisman Museum of ArtAndrea Györödy, who had been the film’s director since 2021, resigned in October amid a censorship controversy.