The Smithsonian today announced the appointment of Lynda Roscoe Hartigan as the Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, effective Sept. 8. A distinguished curator, scholar and museum executive, Hartigan brings decades of leadership experience across major national and international cultural institutions.

Hartigan is currently the Rose‑Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Executive Director and CEO of the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. She returns to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where she began her career, ultimately serving as its chief curator, leading internationally recognized acquisition and programmatic initiatives that significantly expanded the museum’s representation of modern, contemporary and self-taught artists.

“Lynda is a visionary leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to American art, thoughtful scholarship and public engagement,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. “Having begun her career at the Smithsonian, she returns with deep curatorial knowledge and substantial experience that will guide the museum in the years ahead.”

Continue reading the original announcement on the Smithsonian Institution website here.