MSW- Executive Director
Museum of the Southwest
Midland, TX
Executive Director
The Museum of the Southwest (MSW), an AAM-accredited institution located in Midland, Texas, seeks an Executive Director to chart new pathways for growth, engagement, and sustainability. The Museum inspires exploration and interaction with the arts, science, history, and culture through a multidisciplinary campus of facilities including the Turner Memorial Art Museum, Blakemore Planetarium, the historic Turner Mansion, on the National Register of Historic Places, and Durham Children’s Museum.
The permanent collection includes the Hogan Collection of paintings by the Taos Society of Artists as well as paintings and prints by important American artists, including Norman Rockwell, Grant Wood, and Thomas Hart Benton. The six-acre Museum campus features open space with public art including sixteen large-scale works by contemporary Southwestern artists, accessible free to the public.
The Museum’s Blakemore Planetarium offers star talks and dome shows on a 360-degree state-of-the-art Digistar 7 system in a 99-seat theater, plus education spaces, and Earth and space-science exhibits including the popular Science on a Sphere. The adjacent Fredda Turner Durham Children’s Museum, built in 1986, is a vibrant, interactive space designed to inspire curiosity and hands-on learning for area children and families. MSW is poised to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026 and offers a robust lineup of programs, including lecture series, workshops, and seasonal events.
MSW is located in the heart of the Permian Basin of West Texas, a vibrant region defined by its rich oil and gas industry, deep historical roots, and dynamic cultural life.
Operating budget $2 million, endowment of $5 million, 20 staff, 21 Trustees, 100,000 visitors.
Salary range $130,000 - $160,000 plus benefits. EA/EO. Apply by December 20, 2024 to [email protected]. For details, visit: www.museum-search.com/open-searches. Apply early: candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. Nominations welcome.
To apply in confidence, submit application by December 20, 2024, to: Dan Yaeger, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, via [email protected].
Please include:
- A cover letter expressing interest in the position and giving brief examples of past related experience.
- A résumé.
- The names and contact information for three professional references able to evaluate the candidate’s leadership and work, indicating their relationship with the candidate.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early as candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. Nominations are welcome. All applications and nominations are kept confidential; we will not contact references without your permission. For more details, visit: www.museum-search.com/open-searches.
