Marcelle Polednik Steps Down as Director of Milwaukee Art Museum
138May 15, 2025
Poland-born curatorMarcelle Polednik, who has led theMilwaukee Art Museum(MAM)since August 2016, will depart on July 31 after nearly nine years as director. Andy Nunemaker, vice president and chairman elect of the museum’s board, will spearhead a search committee tasked with finding her successor. Polednik has not publicly revealed her plans for the future.
“Serving at the helm of the Milwaukee Art Museum has been an extraordinary honor, but I believe the time has come for new leadership to guide its next chapter,” said Polednik in a statement. “I’m immensely proud of what we’ve built over the past nine years, and confident that the museum is on a strong path forward—artistically, operationally, and financially. I know its next director will continue our shared strategic vision of connecting people to art, each other, and the world.”
Since arriving at MAM, Polednik oversaw the addition of 3,100 works to the museum’s permanent collection, secured a $5 million gift from Joe and Ellen Checota, and shepherded the institution through the Covid-19 crisis. Last year, the museum announced that it would offer free admission in perpetuity for children twelve and younger after receiving a $3.5 million gift from an anonymous donor. Before joining MAM, Polednik was director and chief curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville in Florida. Prior roles include those of chief curator of the Monterey Museum of Art, California, and assistant curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Polednik earned her Ph.D. in art history from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts.
“Marcelle has driven a number of noteworthy accomplishments over her tenure, including navigating the challenges of the global pandemic, focusing our strategic agenda, and helping to prepare us for the next decade of artistic growth and innovation for our landmark institution,” said MAM board chair Jeff Yabuki in a statement. “We are grateful to Marcelle for her leadership as we turn to building this next chapter of success.”