Ngaire Blankenberg Appointed Director of Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art

Ngaire Blankenberg has been named the new director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. She succeeds Gus Casely-Hayford, who left in 2019 to lead London's V&A East. Blankenberg brings expertise in decolonization strategies, having consulted for institutions like the National Gallery of Canada and Superblue. In her statement, she emphasized museums' colonial baggage while highlighting their potential as vital public spaces for reconnection and healing. She noted the museum's unique position in a city with one of the largest African diaspora populations in the U.S. and its digital reach. Blankenberg expressed gratitude for the opportunity to care for and interpret the museum's collection during a new era of U.S.-African relations. Her appointment marks a significant leadership transition at the institution.