Melissa Chiu Exits Hirshhorn Museum to Lead Guggenheim
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Melissa Chiu, director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, will leave her position to become director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York starting September 1.
- Chiu has led the Hirshhorn for over a decade, raising nearly $250 million, expanding the board internationally, increasing attendance, and commissioning major artworks.
- Her departure is part of a recent trend of Smithsonian museum directors leaving amid the Trump administration's efforts to restructure the Smithsonian network.
- Chiu emphasized that her decision was driven by the opportunity at the Guggenheim, not by any stress related to her current role, and she feels confident about her legacy at the Hirshhorn.
- An expert in contemporary Asian and Asian American art, Chiu previously directed the Asia Society in New York and holds a doctorate on experimental Chinese art.
