Lyman Allyn Art Museum
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
New London, CT
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 22, 2026
APPLY ONLINE: https://rcr.li/TBGS
The Lyman Allyn Art Museum, an AAM-accredited institution located in New London along the Connecticut coast, seeks an Executive Director to lead the Museum into its next phase of growth and community impact. Founded in 1932, the Museum holds a collection of more than 20,000 objects and is particularly known for its American art, decorative arts, and Louis Comfort Tiffany holdings. With an active exhibition and education program and a twelve-acre campus, the Lyman Allyn is poised at a pivotal moment as it advances a major initiative to transform its grounds into a dynamic art park, while also strengthening financial sustainability, expanding its audience, and elevating its regional and national profile.
The Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Founded in 1932 through a bequest from Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father, the Lyman Allyn Art Museum (LAAM) has long served as a cultural anchor for New London and southeastern Connecticut. Housed in a neo-classical building by Charles Platt set on a twelve-acre campus, it was envisioned from its inception as both a museum and a public park, an idea that continues to shape its evolution today. Over the past decade, the Museum has experienced a period of renewed energy, strengthening its exhibitions program, expanding community engagement, and increasing its visibility within the region.
The Museum’s collection has grown to more than 20,000 works spanning ancient to contemporary art, with particular strengths in American paintings, decorative arts, and works connected to the region. Its holdings also include a notable presentation of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s work, reflecting the artist’s ties to New London. LAAM presents approximately eight to ten special exhibitions annually, combining loans, traveling exhibitions, and collection-based shows. In recent years, the Museum has built a reputation for presenting ambitious exhibitions that ‘punch above their weight,’ attracting both regional audiences and visitors from across the Northeast.
Recent exhibitions have included Dorothea Lange: Life Work, Albrecht Dürer: Master Prints, China from China: Porcelain and Stories of Early American Trade, and Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontain Press, The Way Sisters: Miniaturists of the Early Republic, alongside permanent collection-based installations American Perspectives and Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London.
Education and community engagement are central to the Museum’s mission. LAAM serves approximately 4,000 schoolchildren annually through field trips, outreach programs, and partnerships with local schools and colleges, including adjacent Connecticut College. Public programming is robust and varied, with lectures, concerts, family programs, home schooling, and community events drawing increasing participation. Signature programs such as Free First Saturday and Art After Dark have expanded the Museum’s reach to new audiences.
A major focus of the Museum’s current strategic direction is the development of Lyman Allyn Park, a twelve-acre campus transformation that will create an accessible, art-centered green space integrating sculpture, walking paths, gathering areas, and outdoor programming. Envisioned as a cultural and civic destination for the region, the Park will expand opportunities for community engagement, education, programming, and exhibitions while fulfilling the founder’s original vision for the site. Phase one of the project is anticipated to be completed in 2026.
The Museum is governed by an active Board of Trustees of approximately twenty members and operates with an annual budget of $4 million and an endowment of $8 million. It is supported by a mix of contributed income, grants, endowment, and earned revenue. Like many institutions of its size, the Museum relies heavily on philanthropy and is working to strengthen its long-term financial sustainability and to broaden its base of support.
LAAM welcomes approximately 18,000 visitors annually, with additional participation through educational programs and special events bringing total engagement significantly higher. Located between major cultural and tourist destinations along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coast, the Museum occupies a strategic position within a vibrant regional arts ecosystem, with significant opportunity to expand its audience and deepen its role as a cultural and civic resource.
The Opportunity
The Executive Director (ED) will follow the retirement of a highly respected and long-serving leader who significantly elevated the Museum’s exhibitions, programs, and community presence. Building on this strong foundation, the next ED will have the opportunity to guide LAAM into its next phase—strengthening its financial position, expanding its audience, and advancing a more visible and impactful role within the region.
The ED, in partnership with the Board and Staff, will focus on key opportunities:
Develop and implement a clear, forward-looking strategic plan.
Strengthen financial sustainability: Expand both contributed and earned revenue, build a broader donor base, grow the endowment, and bring greater institutional consistency to financial planning and cash-flow management.
Elevate fundraising and external relations: Serve as the Museum’s primary ambassador, deepening relationships with existing supporters while cultivating new major donors, partners, and institutional funders at the regional and national levels.
Advance the Lyman Allyn Park project: Provide leadership for the Museum’s most ambitious initiative as the campus is transformed into a dynamic public space.
Grow and diversify audiences: Increase visitation and engagement, strengthen connections with the City, and position the Museum as an inclusive and welcoming resource for a broader public.
Enhance partnerships: Build stronger relationships with local, regional, and academic institutions, and expand the Museum’s civic presence.
Support and align a strong staff team.
Responsibilities, and Expectations
The Executive Director will be an accomplished leader with experience in nonprofit or mission-driven organizations such as museums, cultural institutions, academic environments, or related fields. The successful candidate will bring strategic vision, strong fundraising capability, and a collaborative leadership style, along with a genuine passion for the arts and community engagement. Expectations include:
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Provide strategic leadership and direction: Guide the Museum in developing and implementing a clear strategic plan that advances institutional priorities, aligns resources, and positions the organization for sustainable growth.
Partner effectively with the Board: Support strong governance practices, engaging the Board as partners in fundraising, advocacy, and strategic decision-making.
Lead and align a collaborative staff team: Sustain a culture of trust and empowerment strengthening communication cross-departmental alignment.
FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
Strengthen financial management and sustainability: Provide disciplined oversight of finances, improving consistency in revenue, cash flow, and planning. Identify opportunities to grow earned income.
Lead and execute fundraising efforts: Serve as the chief fundraiser in collaboration with the Development Director, actively cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, grants, capital campaigns, and public sources. Work closely with the Board to expand and diversify the donor base, building regional and national relationships.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Serve as spokesperson and advocate: Represent the Museum locally, regionally, and nationally, bringing an energetic voice that elevates the institution’s profile.
Act as the Museum’s primary ambassador, spending significant time externally building relationships with civic, cultural, educational, and business partners, and strengthening the Museum’s presence in New London and the region.
Expand and diversify audiences: Increase visitation and participation by broadening the Museum’s appeal, addressing perceptions that may limit engagement, and positioning it as accessible and welcoming for a wide range of communities.
Community involvement: Become actively involved in the life of the New London community.
MUSEUM PROGRAMMING AND VISITATION
Support and advance exhibitions, collections, facilities, and programs: Work collaboratively with an experienced curatorial and program staff to sustain the Museum’s strong exhibition program and growing reputation. Support the collection’s continued development, including expanding the representation of historically underrepresented artists and voices, and engaging with regional artists. While the ED need not be a curator, they must bring enthusiasm for art and the knowledge and credibility to support the Museum’s curatorial vision.
Advance the Lyman Allyn Park project while maintaining core operations: Lead the programming and fundraising for the Park initiative, while ensuring appropriate attention to current infrastructure and day-to-day operations.
Experience, Skills, and Attributes
Leadership experience: A minimum of five years of senior-level leadership experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization such as a museum, cultural institution, academic environment, or related field.
Strategic thinking and execution: Ability to successfully develop and implement strategic plans.
Fundraising success: Track record of securing significant philanthropic support, including cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts, working effectively with boards and development teams, or more limited experience and the desire and ability to perform this function.
Financial acumen: Experience overseeing budgets and ensuring sound fiscal practices, with an understanding of the challenges of revenue variability and cash flow in nonprofits.
Relationship-building and external presence: Interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to serve as a visible and effective ambassador. Must enjoy building relationships with donors, community leaders, partners, and stakeholders.
Community engagement: Commitment to engaging diverse audiences and fostering inclusive, welcoming environments to serve a broader community.
Team leadership and organizational management: Experience leading and motivating professional staff, fostering collaboration, and supporting a positive culture.
Experience collaborating with boards or governing bodies, supporting effective governance.
Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience; advanced degrees or relevant scholarly background are valued but not required.
Appreciation for art and cultural mission: A genuine enthusiasm for art and museums, with sufficient knowledge and credibility to support curatorial work, engage with artists and collectors, and represent the institution with confidence.
We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this position.
Compensation
The salary range is $165,000 - $180,000 commensurate with experience, plus an attractive benefits package.
How to Apply
To apply in confidence, submit application online HERE by May 22, 2026.
A complete application should include:
1) A cover letter expressing interest in the position and giving brief examples of past related experience.
2) A resume.
3) The names and contact information for three professional references, indicating your relationship with them, preferably supervisors and/or direct reports.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. All applications and nominations are kept confidential; we will not contact references without your permission. Nominations are welcome.
Questions should be directed to Dan Yaeger, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, via SearchandRef@museum-search.com.
About New London, Connecticut
New London is a historic coastal city of approximately 27,000 residents, located on the ancestral homelands of the Western Nehântick and Mohegan peoples, with roots deeply tied to colonial history, the American revolution, and the maritime industries that shaped its early development. In the 18th and 19th centuries, New London was one of the nation’s leading ports, and its harbor has long served as a center of commerce, shipbuilding, and naval activity. Elements of this history remain visible today in the city’s architecture, waterfront, and cultural identity, contributing to a strong sense of place that distinguishes New London from more resort-oriented coastal communities. Compact and walkable, the city offers the cultural assets of a regional hub with a more accessible and manageable scale.
New London’s population is approximately 50% White, 25% Hispanic/Latino, 20% Black/African American, and a growing number of residents from other backgrounds, reflected in the city’s neighborhoods, schools, and cultural life.
The city has a long-standing arts connection, shaped by the tradition of artist communities along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts. Nearby Old Lyme was home to one of the most important American Impressionist art colonies, now represented by the Florence Griswold Museum. Today, New London is part of a broader regional arts ecosystem that includes the Mystic Museum of Art and others connected through the Connecticut Art Trail, a network of leading art museums. Together, these institutions form a vibrant cultural corridor that draws visitors and creates a sense of place. The Garde Arts Center, Hygienic Art, and the nearby Eugene O'Neill Theater Center contribute to a lively and evolving arts scene. Connecticut College and The Williams School add intellectual and cultural vitality, with opportunities for partnership, visiting artists, mentoring students, and shared programming.
New London is also a working city, with its waterfront economy, proximity to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Electric Boat, Pfizer, and the Naval Submarine Base in nearby Groton, and its mix of long-time residents and new arrivals. The city has faced economic challenges but is experiencing revitalization, particularly in its downtown and cultural sectors.
For individuals and families, the region offers a high quality of life, with access to coastal landscapes, outdoor recreation, and a range of housing options at moderate prices. The area includes public and private school options, as well as proximity to higher education institutions in southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island.
New London’s location along Interstate 95 between Boston and New York is a significant asset. The city is served by Amtrak and Shore Line East rail service, providing regular connections to New Haven, New York City, Providence, and Boston. Air travel is convenient with T. F. Green Airport approximately one hour away, plus Bradley International Airport near Hartford, and Boston’s Logan. Ferry service provides direct access to Long Island and Block Island.
