Claudia Gould, who left the Jewish Museum in New York in 2023 after a twelve-year tenure, has been appointed director of the Shaker Museum in Chatham, New York. The museum, which holds one of the world's most significant collections of Shaker material culture, is building a new $30 million flagship space designed by Selldorf Architects, known for recent work on the Frick Collection. Gould expressed excitement about building a museum from the ground up, a challenge she described as different from restructuring an existing organization.
This appointment matters because Gould brings extensive experience in museum leadership, having overseen a major renovation and endowment growth at the Jewish Museum, and previously worked at ICA Philadelphia and Artists Space. Her move to a museum dedicated to Shaker culture—a Christian sect known for its spare architecture, design, and furniture—signals a strategic effort to elevate a specialized collection into a major destination. Gould's stated passion for design and architecture aligns with the Shaker Museum's focus, potentially broadening its audience and cultural relevance.