María Nicanor, executive director of the Rice Design Alliance (RDA) at Rice University’s School of Architecture in Houston, has been named the director of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, effective March 21. An architecture and design curator and historian, Nicanor has an established career in museum and curatorial work and brings a rich background in architecture and design to the role.

Nicanor will oversee 86 employees, an annual budget of over $15 million and a collection of about 215,000 objects. She will also lead the museum’s innovative exhibition programming, featuring a newly launched digital exhibition platform and robust educational offerings and programs, including the annual National Design Awards, which recognize the best in American design across a range of disciplines. Nicanor joins Cooper Hewitt as it celebrates its 125th anniversary and shares content throughout the year that highlights the importance of design in the past, present and future...

Maria Nicanor Named Director of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

The New York Times: Cooper Hewitt Design Museum Gets a New Director