Philadelphia Art Museum Names Daniel Weiss as New Director Amid Scandal
The Philadelphia Art Museum has appointed Daniel Weiss, former president of Haverford College and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, as its new director and CEO following Sasha Suda's abrupt dismissal. Weiss is set to take office on December 1 and will oversee various aspects of the museum's operations, including curation, fundraising, programming, and strategic planning.
Weiss' tenure at the Met from 2015 to 2023 was marked by several significant challenges, including navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the museum to shut down to visitors. He also oversaw a new facilities master plan and helped stabilize the institution's finances following years of budget deficit issues under his predecessor.
Under Weiss' leadership, the Met faced criticism from some for its handling of funding and partnerships. One notable example was the decision in 2018 to make a $25 admission rate mandatory for visitors outside New York state. The move came after public pressure mounted on the institution to distance itself from the Sackler family, whose wealth is tied to Purdue Pharma.
Since leaving the Met, Weiss has returned to academia as a professor of humanities and adviser at Johns Hopkins University, where he also holds a Ph.D. He previously served as president of Lafayette College and Haverford College in Pennsylvania before taking on his roles at the Met and Hopkins.
Suda's dismissal came just months after she oversaw a rebranding effort for the museum, which included unveiling a new logo. However, controversy surrounding her leadership continued, with some accusing her of creating a toxic environment within the organization. Suda filed a lawsuit against the museum shortly after being fired, claiming that there was a "small, corrupt and unethical faction" at play.
Despite this turmoil, Weiss' appointment appears to signal a fresh start for the Philadelphia Art Museum. His contract will run through 2028, giving him significant time to stabilize the institution and implement new initiatives.
The Philadelphia Art Museum has appointed Daniel Weiss, former president of Haverford College and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, as its new director and CEO following Sasha Suda's abrupt dismissal. Weiss is set to take office on December 1 and will oversee various aspects of the museum's operations, including curation, fundraising, programming, and strategic planning.
Weiss' tenure at the Met from 2015 to 2023 was marked by several significant challenges, including navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the museum to shut down to visitors. He also oversaw a new facilities master plan and helped stabilize the institution's finances following years of budget deficit issues under his predecessor.
Under Weiss' leadership, the Met faced criticism from some for its handling of funding and partnerships. One notable example was the decision in 2018 to make a $25 admission rate mandatory for visitors outside New York state. The move came after public pressure mounted on the institution to distance itself from the Sackler family, whose wealth is tied to Purdue Pharma.
Since leaving the Met, Weiss has returned to academia as a professor of humanities and adviser at Johns Hopkins University, where he also holds a Ph.D. He previously served as president of Lafayette College and Haverford College in Pennsylvania before taking on his roles at the Met and Hopkins.
Suda's dismissal came just months after she oversaw a rebranding effort for the museum, which included unveiling a new logo. However, controversy surrounding her leadership continued, with some accusing her of creating a toxic environment within the organization. Suda filed a lawsuit against the museum shortly after being fired, claiming that there was a "small, corrupt and unethical faction" at play.
Despite this turmoil, Weiss' appointment appears to signal a fresh start for the Philadelphia Art Museum. His contract will run through 2028, giving him significant time to stabilize the institution and implement new initiatives.
phila art museum just appointed daniel weiss as their new director & CEO!!! 
i know he's got some baggage from his time at the met but i think he'll bring some much needed stability & fresh ideas to the table 
i mean, who else can say they've navigated a pandemic & budget deficits? 
plus, he's already proven himself as a leader in academia & his new phd holder status is goals 
anyway, i'm excited to see what he'll bring to phila & whether the controversy surrounding suda will be just that – a thing of the past 
just hope they can recover from that toxic environment under Suda's leadership... 
museum's getting a new boss, gotta give 'em credit for the fresh start 
Weiss has some big shoes to fill, especially after navigating COVID at the Met 
and now they're bringing in someone with a strong academic background 
can't wait to see how this all plays out 
it's like, you can't just sweep under the rug, right? needs to address the toxic environment thing... might want to make some changes to that. 
also, $25 admission rate was a pretty polarizing move, not sure if he'll reverse that one or not... 
but hey, at least he's got a Ph.D., so gotta be smart about it, right? 
. But what's up with the drama surrounding Sasha Suda's exit? I mean, I get it, change can be tough 
. The whole thing about her rebranding effort and them accusing each other of being part of some "toxic environment"... yeah, that sounds pretty intense 
.
) and now he can use it to make Philly Art Museum shine 
. With his contract running till 2028, I'm hoping for some major changes 
. Let's see what kind of fresh initiatives he'll bring! 
first it's Suda gets fired due to some drama, and now Weiss is in charge... I mean, he seems like a solid guy, got his PhD and all that jazz from Hopkins, but dude had some major issues at the Met. Remember when they made that whole admission rate thing happen? didn't sit right with people, and it's like, who needs $25 to see art, you know? anyway, I guess Philly is hoping he can bring some stability, and good luck with that 
but omg the admission fee thing? yeah that was kinda messed up 
. Sasha Suda was already making waves with her rebranding effort, and now this guy comes in and... well, I don't know what's gonna happen yet 
. But hey, at least he's got a solid contract to work with for the next few years 
... I mean, Daniel Weiss seems like a solid choice, I guess he has some decent experience under his belt 
.
hope they get things sorted out soon 
love how he's got a Ph.D. from Hopkins 
and was prof there too 
but hey, at least they're shaking things up 
but it sounds like he's gonna be great for philly! love that they're giving him 4 yrs to turn things around 
doesnt matter who's right or wrong, point is weiss seems like a solid choice, but what if hes just trying to save face after suda got fired and all that drama?
.
. Did he really help stabilize the finances and all that? It sounds like a big challenge, but he's got some impressive credentials under his belt 
she was supposed to lead philly art museum to new heights but it looks like drama got in the way 
. The fall foliage was insane! I saw so many beautiful trees with vibrant colors that it was like nature's own art show 
. I swear, it takes skill to get the cheese melted just right...