Melissa Chiu, Director, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Melissa Chiu is director of the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the national museum of modern and contemporary art. Since her appointment in 2014, she has advocated for contemporary art through the Museum’s exhibitions, acquisitions, and public programs. 

While maintaining the Hirshhorn’s focus on 20th and 21st century art, the Museum has presented landmark exhibitions of work by some of today’s most important artists. Under her leadership, the Hirshhorn welcomed over one million visitors in 2017—a major milestone marking its highest annual attendance in nearly 30 years and doubling its visitation from three years prior. 

Dr. Chiu’s current organizational focus is transforming the Hirshhorn into a 21st century institution through the revitalization of the museum’s campus including a new design for the Hirshhorn’s Sculpture Garden. A significant technology initiative by the Hirshhorn is the award-winning mobile video guide, Hirshhorn Eye (Hi), which uses image recognition of art works to offer instant videos of artists speaking about the creation of their work. 

Chiu earned her bachelor’s degree in art history, a master’s degree in arts administration, and a Ph.D. She has authored and edited several books and catalogues on contemporary art with MIT Press, Thames and Hudson, and Monacelli .