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Queens Museum Elevates Debra Wimpfheimer to Executive Director

Her selection signals continuity for fundraising-led expansion.

Overview

  • The board announced the promotion on February 11, naming the longtime deputy and Queens native as the museum’s next leader.
  • She is reported to begin this summer as Sally Tallant departs to head London’s Hayward Gallery and visual arts at the Southbank Centre.
  • Wimpfheimer has worked at the institution for more than two decades, twice serving as interim director after earlier roles at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Lincoln Center.
  • Her portfolio includes completing the 15,000-square-foot Suna Children’s Museum slated for 2028, plus a World’s Fair study center, new collection galleries, and a space for older adults.
  • Credited with major fundraising, she pledges to grow inclusivity and draw new audiences reflective of Queens’s diversity.