It is with great excitement and gratitude that I join the Princeton University community and take the helm of this august museum, whose collections make this one of the great museums in the United States—university or other. Having spent the past seventeen years at university museums—first at Berkeley and then at the University of Michigan—I have an abiding feeling for university museums and their particular responsibilities and capacities and look forward to sharing that passion with all of you—whether students, faculty and staff, alumni, or members of the broader community—in the years ahead.

 

Not surprisingly, I hold deep convictions about museums. One is that there is no “one size fits all” solution to what makes a museum strong and effective.  In that spirit, I want to assure all who care about the Princeton University Art Museum that I do not come with a pre-determined vision, but rather look forward to learning from many, to spending much of the summer in conversation with colleagues on- and off-campus, and to crafting together a vision and a roadmap to achieving that vision. A related conviction is that, in order to be effective and achieve greatness, each museum must understand and honor its own character—one that arises from generations of giving and collections building, from past and present directors, curators, staff, and benefactors. Sadly, too often I observe many museums falling into the trap of a “creeping sameness”—one that denies the uniqueness of place and institutional heritage. I look forward to championing the unique voice of the Princeton University Art Museum and, in doing so, to enhancing a singular and irreplaceable experience that only this museum can provide.

 

The last conviction I will describe here is a view that leadership institutions must, in fact, exercise leadership. As one of the nation’s preeminent art museums, the Princeton University Art Museum is such an institution, and must exercise leadership appropriate to its character, situation, and history. Sometimes this might mean boldness in exhibitions—mounting projects that would be too controversial or difficult for a civic museum to undertake; sometimes this might mean taking a strongly principled stance on ethical collecting and in cultural property ownership, recognizing that museums and universities teach through their conduct as much as through their programs. Always, this should mean a sustained commitment to excellence—in collections, exhibitions, public programs, publications—in all the areas of the Museum’s endeavors.

 

Clearly these are challenging times for universities, museums and other cultural non-profits, and indeed for the majority of Americans—even for an institution with the capacities we have here at Princeton. For me, it is at times like these that we most need the sustaining, life-affirming possibilities of great works of art, and it is when times are difficult that real leadership is tested. I look forward to joining with all of you in taking forward this exceptional institution to further heights in the years to come.

 

James Christen Steward

Director