Madeleine Grynsztejn, the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago since 2008, will step down at the end of 2026. Her departure marks the end of an 18-year tenure during which she significantly expanded the museum's budget and collection, secured major donations, and launched high-profile exhibitions and artist-focused programs.
Grynsztejn's leadership is considered transformative, elevating the MCA's national and international profile while embedding principles of accessibility, inclusivity, and community engagement into its core identity. Her departure initiates a major leadership transition for a key U.S. cultural institution, with a successor search beginning this spring to shape the museum's direction for the next two decades.