The museum was recently embroiled in a series of abuse allegations concerning the behaviour of some of its managers
The director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Timothy Rub, has announced his retirement in 2022 – marking 13 years in the role.
Rub joined the museum in 2009, preceding an extensive Frank Gehry-designed expansion and renovation.
‘It has been a great honour to serve as the director of one of this country’s finest art museums,’ Rub said in a statement, ‘and to play a role in strengthening its collections and programmes as well as renewing our landmark main building to make it ready for another century of service to the community.’
In recent months, the museum’s workplace culture has come under intense scrutiny. Last year, two managers at the institution were accused of harassment and physical abuse; staffers also moved to unionise, criticising inequity in the museum’s power structures.
‘If I had to turn back the clock, I would have also recognized sooner that we needed to focus at the same time – and with equal vigour – on the museum’s internal culture,’ Rub told the New York Times.
The museum’s board of trustees will initiate an international search for a successor, with Rub serving in a consulting basis until the new director is in place.
