The Milwaukee Art Museum has named Kim Sajet, who most recently served for 12 years as the director of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., as its next executive director.
While she was the director of the National Portrait Gallery, attendance doubled and the museum underwent capital improvements such as reinstalling the President’s Gallery. She raised more than $85 million for the gallery’s operations and endowment, according to a press release from MAM.
Sajet’s time with the National Portrait Gallery ended in June after she resigned. She will begin as MAM’s new Donna and Donald Baumgartner director effective Sept. 22. Sajet succeeds Marcelle Polednik, who stepped down in July.
“MAM’s ability to attract talent of Kim Sajet’s caliber — who is among only a handful of world-class, values-based museum leaders — speaks to the excellent reputation and collections represented by the museum and its role as a cultural cornerstone of our community and the nation,” said Andy Nunemaker, chairman of the Milwaukee Art Museum board of trustees, in a news release.
Before leading the National Portrait Gallery, Sajet was president and CEO of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, vice president and deputy director at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and director of corporate relations at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Sajet has also led two museums in Australia, where she was raised. Sajet was born in Nigeria to Dutch parents.
She earned her bachelor of arts degree and MBA from Melbourne University, her master of arts degree in art history from Bryn Mawr College and her doctorate in liberal studies from Georgetown University.
Sajet is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the International Council of Museums and the Association of Art Museum Directors.
“This moment marks a unique opportunity to bring in a leader who can unlock the museum’s full potential and advance its vision of connecting people with art and with each other, creating experiences that inspire, spark curiosity, and bring joy, while also sharing the museum’s story on the national and international stage,” Nunemaker said.
When Sajet first spoke with MAM’s search committee, she “was impressed with how passionate everyone was about the museum and how they saw it as a central part of what makes Milwaukee a world-class city.”
“The general vibe is entrepreneurial, culturally vibrant, and refreshingly authentic,” Sajet said in a news release. “This sense of experimentation is also a major part of the museum’s collecting and exhibition history.”
Sajet referenced how the “Currents” series has given a platform for contemporary and international artists.
“I am keen to expand on this commitment to living artists and also explore the educational opportunities that flow from the art and design of the past,” Sajet said. “The museum itself is gorgeous, and I want to invite everyone across the country to see for themselves what a special place this is.”
As Sajet joins MAM, it is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bradley Collection of Modern Art, which brought major artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol to the museum.
“To begin my tenure during this milestone exhibition is a privilege, and a reminder of the impact that art — and the generosity behind it — can have on a community for generations,” Sajet said.
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- Philanthropists Joe and Ellen Checota making $15 million in challenge gifts to Milwaukee arts groups
- Anonymous $3.5 million gift to Milwaukee Art Museum provides free admission for kids 12 and under
- Milwaukee Art Museum announces store expansion
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