Sam Quigley, the director of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, Connecticut, has announced his retirement after 12 years at the helm. During his tenure, Quigley was instrumental in modernizing the institution by establishing the Near :: New Gallery for regional contemporary art, creating a permanent Louis Comfort Tiffany exhibition, and overseeing the development of the 12-acre Lyman Allyn Park. He also significantly bolstered the permanent collection with acquisitions by major figures such as John Singer Sargent and David Driskell.
Quigley’s departure marks a pivotal transition for the most prominent art institution in southeastern Connecticut. His leadership successfully balanced the museum's identity as a local community hub with the standards of a high-level regional museum. The search for his successor, conducted by Museum Search & Reference, will determine how the institution maintains its recent growth and continues to expand its cultural footprint in the region.