Courtesy PEM / Photo by Alex Paul
The Smithsonian today announced the appointment of Lynda Roscoe Hartigan as the Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, effective September 8, 2026. 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 in the 1970s, ultimately serving as its chief curator until 2003. During her tenure, she led internationally recognized acquisition and programmatic initiatives that significantly expanded the museum’s representation of modern, contemporary, and self-taught artists. Notably, she championed the establishment of the Joseph Cornell Study Center at the museum, which has inspired generations of artists, most recently the filmmaker Wes Anderson who recreated the artist's studio for an exhibition in Paris.
“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.”
In a message to staff, Secretary Bunch went on to say "I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Jane Carpenter‑Rock for her exceptional leadership as acting director since September 2024. Jane’s steady guidance and deep commitment to the museum have been invaluable during this transition, and I am grateful that she will continue serving SAAM as deputy director for museum content and outreach."
Read the full announcement in our Press Room.
