Museum Search & Reference

Museum Search & Reference Museum Search & Reference is focused on finding the very best leadership for America’s museums. We are experts in museum executive transitions.

We have successfully placed museum directors, deputy directors, curators, educators, and other leaders in museums of all sizes. We find leadership talent for museums in disciplines from art to science, from history to Indigenous culture, in large cities as well as small communities throughout the United States. Museums are some of the most engaged public spaces in America today and our team of for

mer museum and nonprofit directors understands the museum field inside out. We know the nuts and bolts of executive leadership because we have been executive successful directors. At Museum Search & Reference we recognize the multifaceted attributes museums look for in their leaders and will help you identify professionals who have experience leading, inspiring others, imagining the future, and raising the resources to secure it. We are hands-on and deeply networked. Our decades of experience placing talent in museums of all sizes and character across North America has led to a distinguished track record of success. Looking for an executive recruiter to assist you, or looking for your next career move? For more information visit us at: museum-search.com

Our firm was honored to partner with the Lyman Allyn Art Museum on their search for an Executive Director. Congratulatio...
09/03/2026

Our firm was honored to partner with the Lyman Allyn Art Museum on their search for an Executive Director.

Congratulations to Frank Goodyear and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum! We wish you every success!

📣New Leadership. A New Season.

The Lyman Allyn is delighted to announce the appointment of Frank H. Goodyear, Ph.D., as its next Director!

A nationally recognized museum leader, curator, scholar, and author, Goodyear most recently served as Co-Director of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, where he and his co-director, Anne Collins Goodyear, led the institution for 13 years.

Goodyear will begin his tenure at the Lyman Allyn on October 26, succeeding Sam Quigley, who announced his retirement earlier this year following 12 years of transformative leadership at the Museum.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Lyman Allyn at such an exciting moment in its history,” said Frank H. Goodyear. “The Museum has an extraordinary collection, a remarkable history, a dedicated staff and board, and a growing relationship with the community. I am especially excited by the opportunity to build on all that the Museum has accomplished thus far, while leading the Lyman Allyn into its next chapter.”

We look forward to welcoming Frank to the Lyman Allyn community and beginning this exciting new season together.

Read the full press release here: https://www.lymanallyn.org/press/

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut One of the nation's premier aviati...
07/17/2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut

One of the nation's premier aviation museums and the largest aerospace museum in New England, the New England Air Museum welcomes approximately 75,000 visitors annually and stewards a remarkable collection of more than 100 historic aircraft and aerospace artifacts while inspiring future generations through exhibitions, restoration, public programs, and STEM education.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished leader with demonstrated success in fundraising, strategic leadership, and organizational management to guide the Museum's next chapter.

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/7/15/new-england-air-museum

📅 Application deadline: September 9, 2026

American Alliance of Museums
American Association for State and Local History
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
Association of Midwest Museums
Southeastern Museums Conference-SEMC
New England Museum Association

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Application Deadline: September 9, 2026

Application deadline of July 21st is approaching for The Paul Revere House.Please see below for more information and det...
07/15/2026

Application deadline of July 21st is approaching for The Paul Revere House.

Please see below for more information and details.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Application Deadline: July 21, 2026

Congratulations to the Columbia Museum of Art and Laura J. Mueller! We were honored to partner with you in this search.
07/15/2026

Congratulations to the Columbia Museum of Art and Laura J. Mueller!

We were honored to partner with you in this search.

Big news from your museum! After an extensive seven-month search that drew interest from both national and international candidates, the CMA board of trustees has appointed Laura J. Mueller, Ph.D., as the museum's new executive director. Recently serving as the interim executive director of the New Mexico Museum of Art and Vladem Contemporary in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dr. Mueller is a museum executive, curator, and art historian with more than 20 years of leadership experience in art museums and cultural institutions. She officially takes the helm on August 3, 2026.

Learn more about our new leader >> https://bit.ly/3QOKLgZ

📷: Haus of Portraits, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

OPEN POSITION: Curator of Insects & Arachnids, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, OntarioThe Royal Ontario Museum is seeking...
07/09/2026

OPEN POSITION: Curator of Insects & Arachnids, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario

The Royal Ontario Museum is seeking an innovative and collaborative Curator of Insects & Arachnids to lead one of Canada's premier natural history collections. Home to more than 10 million insect and arachnid specimens, the ROM's collection is internationally recognized for its breadth, scientific value, and contribution to research in taxonomy, systematics, ecology, evolution, conservation, and biodiversity. This is an exceptional opportunity to advance collections-based research, contribute to exhibitions and public programming, and engage diverse audiences.

Application deadline: September 25, 2026

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/7/6/rom-curator-of-insects-amp-arachnids



Toronto Entomologists' Association
Entomological Society of America
American Alliance of Museums
ARCS
Canadian Museums Association / Association des musées canadiens
Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
International Council of Museums - ICOM

CURATOR OF INSECTS & ARACHNIDS Application Deadline: September 25, 2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, Santa Fe, New MexicoSanta Fe’s Wheelwright...
06/08/2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe’s Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian (WMAI) is seeking an experienced and ambitious Executive Director with a deep knowledge of Native American art and culture. The Wheelwright’s unique origin story, rich exhibition history, and acclaimed collections have driven current institutional momentum. Now with a focus on the future, the next Executive Director will bring strategic vision, strong fundraising skills, and a collaborative leadership style to guide the Museum into an ambitious new chapter as it approaches its 2037 Centennial.

Application Deadline: August 28, 2026

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/6/8/wheelwright-museum-of-the-american-indian

American Alliance of Museums
Western Museums Association
Native Arts & Cultures Foundation
Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums
Association of Art Museum Directors
National Council of Nonprofits
New Mexico Museums
Texas Association of Museums
American Association for State and Local History

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Application Deadline: August 28, 2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Paul Revere Memorial Association, Boston, Massachusetts The Paul Revere Memorial Asso...
06/04/2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Paul Revere Memorial Association, Boston, Massachusetts

The Paul Revere Memorial Association (PRMA) seeks an Executive Director to lead one of the nation’s most iconic historic house museums and public history organizations. The PRMA operates a nationally recognized, award-winning, AAM-accredited museum campus that focuses the visitor experience on its key asset, The Paul Revere House. The next Executive Director will build upon a strong institutional foundation while helping shape the Association’s future through strategic leadership, fundraising, preservation stewardship, public engagement, and partnership development.

Application Deadline: July 21, 2026

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/6/3/paul-revere-memorial-association

American Association for State and Local History
New England Museum Association
American Alliance of Museums
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM)
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
National Council of Nonprofits
National Trust for Historic Preservation

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Application Deadline: July 21, 2026

OPEN POSITION: President and CEO, Historic Deerfield, Deerfield, Massachusetts Historic Deerfield, a nationally recogni...
05/21/2026

OPEN POSITION: President and CEO, Historic Deerfield, Deerfield, Massachusetts

Historic Deerfield, a nationally recognized, AAM-accredited museum and historic village in Deerfield, Massachusetts, seeks a thoughtful, dynamic, and mission-driven leader to serve as its next President and Chief Executive Officer. Stewarding one of the best-preserved villages and rural landscapes in North America, Historic Deerfield offers immersive encounters with the people, places, objects, buildings, and stories that have shaped New England and the United States. The next President and CEO will build on Historic Deerfield’s strong foundation, advancing its mission, expanding its reach, strengthening its national profile, and guiding the organization through its next phase of growth and impact.

Application Deadline: July 15, 2026

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/5/15/historic-deerfield

American Alliance of Museums
New England Museum Association
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM)
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
American Association for State and Local History

PRESIDENT AND CEO Application Deadline: July 15, 2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Lyman Allyn Art Museum, New London, Connecticut The Lyman Allyn Art Museum, an AAM-ac...
04/20/2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Lyman Allyn Art Museum, New London, Connecticut

The Lyman Allyn Art Museum, an AAM-accredited institution located along the Connecticut coast, seeks an Executive Director to lead the Museum into its next phase of growth and community impact. Founded in 1932, the Museum holds a collection of more than 20,000 objects and is particularly known for its American art, decorative arts, and Louis Comfort Tiffany holdings. With an active exhibition and education program and a twelve-acre campus, the Lyman Allyn is poised at a pivotal moment as it advances a major initiative to transform its grounds into a dynamic art park, while also strengthening financial sustainability, expanding its audience, and elevating its regional and national profile.

Application Deadline: May 22, 2026

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/4/16/lyman-allyn-art-museum

American Alliance of Museums
Association of Art Museum Directors
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM)
New England Museum Association
AAMC Foundation - Art Curators
AAMG

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Application Deadline: May 22, 2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Museum of the Southwest - Midland, TexasThe Museum of the Southwest, an AAM-accredite...
04/07/2026

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Museum of the Southwest - Midland, Texas

The Museum of the Southwest, an AAM-accredited institution, is seeking a visionary Executive Director to lead its next chapter of growth, engagement, and sustainability. Through its dynamic, multidisciplinary campus, including an art museum, planetarium, historic mansion, and children’s museum, the Museum inspires exploration across art, science, history, and culture.

As the organization celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026, the next Executive Director will both honor its deep community legacy and help shape an ambitious future. In partnership with the Board, this leader will drive strategic planning to deepen donor engagement, expand visibility and visitation, and cultivate meaningful community partnerships that strengthen the Museum’s mission, relevance, and long-term sustainability.

Application Deadline: June 5, 2026

Learn more about the role and how to apply online here: https://museum-search.com/all-searches/2026/4/6/the-museum-of-the-southwest

American Alliance of Museums
Association of Art Museum Directors
Association of Midwest Museums
Western Museums Association
Southeastern Museums Conference-SEMC
American Association for State and Local History
Texas Association of Museums

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Application Deadline: June 5, 2026

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