Leading Curator of Germany's Prestigious Museum: Marion Ackermann - Germany set to appoint new major museum leader as current director, Marion Ackermann, steps down.
** Marion Ackermann to Head Germany's Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation **
After eight years at the helm of the Saxon State Art Collections (SKD), Marion Ackermann is set to assume a pivotal role as the president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK) in Berlin, starting June 1. Her inauguration will take place on May 27. Ackermann, an esteemed museum manager and art historian, will also become the top boss of the Museum Island, a significant attraction in Berlin and a key museum district globally.
The Museum Island, home to the Nefertiti bust and works by Caspar David Friedrich, will see Ackermann's leadership. Known for her ability to build strong connections with artists, collectors, and cultural institutions worldwide, she is highly regarded not only in the museum world but also beyond it.
Ackermann embarked on her museum career as a curator at the Munich Lenbachhaus before serving as director of the Stuttgart Art Museum from 2003 to 2009. She later served as artistic director of the Art Collection North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf until 2016.
Dresden – a mixed legacy
Her time in Dresden, marked by both great achievements and the historic theft of jewels from the Historic Green Vault, has shaped Ackermann's career significantly. Notably, she organized major exhibitions on Jan Vermeer and Caspar David Friedrich, established the only children's biennale outside of Singapore, and showcased radical artists behind the Iron Curtain.
Despite criticism stemming from the theft of valuable jewelry, the COVID-19 pandemic, and disputes over GDR art in museums, Ackermann's innovative spirit shone through. Her initiatives to digitize and strengthen the online presence of the SKD kept the institution's momentum going, even during challenging times.
International Competitiveness Awaits
Ackermann's new role at the SPK, one of Germany's most powerful cultural institutions, presents an opportunity to make it internationally competitive. The foundation, which includes the Staatsbibliothek Berlin and the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, is backed by the federal and state governments and employs around 2,000 people.
With her extensive experience in the museum sector, Ackermann aims to foster collaboration and dialogue within the global cultural community. She believes that Germany's museums should be more prominent and independent on the international stage, and she is committed to building strong ties abroad, even in complex cultural systems.
Born in Göttingen in 1965, Ackermann began as a stellar figure in the museum world when she became the youngest director of a major house in Germany at the age of 38. Berlin is set to benefit from her charismatic leadership, innovative vision, and a focus on women's empowerment.
- Marion Ackermann, an art historian and esteemed museum manager, will implement her innovative spirit in the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK), expanding its global competitiveness.
- Ackermann's leadership at the Museum Island, a key museum district, will foster collaboration and dialogue within the global cultural community, aiming to make Germany's museums more prominent and independent.
- Despite the challenges faced during her tenure at the Saxon State Art Collections (SKD), Ackermann demonstrated an ability to adapt and innovate, particularly in digitizing and strengthening the institution's online presence.
- Known for her connections with artists, collectors, and cultural institutions worldwide, Ackermann's leadership will extend beyond the museum world, touching on areas such as fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, education-and-self-development, shopping, career-development, sports, sports-betting, and lifestyle.
- Ackermann's broad vision extends to vocational training, considering it an essential part of self-development and career-development, promising to engage with vocational training institutions in Berlin and beyond.
- As a proponent of women's empowerment, Ackermann's charismatic leadership will inspire and empower a diverse community in Berlin and Germany, setting a strong example for future generations.
- In her new role as the president of the SPK, Berlin is poised to benefit from Ackermann's extensive experience, innovative vision, and commitment to building strong ties abroad, even in complex cultural systems.
