Melissa Chiu is stepping down as director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden after a decade-long tenure to lead the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Appointed by Guggenheim Foundation CEO Mariët Westermann, Chiu will officially assume her new role on September 1, while deputy director Aaron Seeto takes the interim helm at the Hirshhorn.
Chiu’s move marks a significant leadership shift for two major American institutions during a period of political volatility for the Smithsonian. Her legacy at the Hirshhorn is defined by record-breaking attendance driven by blockbuster shows like Yayoi Kusama’s, a successful $250 million fundraising campaign, and innovative media ventures that expanded the museum's national profile.