Sean Decatur has taken over as president of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York, as the museum launches its long-awaited Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation.
Decatur succeeded Ellen Futter, who stepped down in March after 30 years as president.
The AMNH $465m expansion opened in May, adding 230,000sq ft of space to the AMNH. Designed by Studio Gang, the building includes three floors of exhibits, with highlights including a 3,000sq ft butterfly vivarium featuring 80 species of live butterflies, a 5,000sq ft insectarium and a vertical collections facility featuring floor-to-ceiling exhibits representing every area of the museum’s collections in vertebrate and invertebrate biology, paleontology, geology, anthropology, and archaeology.
It also features Invisible Worlds, a 360-degree immersive science-and-art experience, new classrooms and a four-storey civic space.
A biophysicist, Decatur was president of Kenyon College from July 2013.
“I feel as if everything I’ve done in life has led up to the tremendous privilege, responsibility, and opportunity of heading the American Museum of Natural History,” said Decatur. “This great institution is ready to take on the next crucial challenges in everything from scientific research to supporting public education, and to expanding access.”
Speaking to The New York Times, Decatur said: “I’ve spent my career committed to access and opportunity for students, and also to an understanding of science. This feels like a natural evolution.”
“There’s a lot that translates from higher education to the cultural world, but there are also going to be a lot of new things to learn, both about this type of institution and about the museum in particular.”
Decatur is the museum’s first Black president, and follows Ellen Futter’s role as AMNH’s first female president. According to chairman of the museum’s board Scott Bok, increasing diversity in leadership positions is “overdue among large institutions like ours.”
“Look at the city that we live in,” Bok said. “We clearly would like the museum to speak to more people.”
With a background in academia, this is Decatur’s first role leading a cultural institution; something he says could be an advantage.
“Maybe it’s helpful that Sean Decatur isn’t from a museum background when it comes to thinking about how we make the place great for the next 50 years,” said Bok.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2023 issue 3
Editor's letter: Learning to listen
Young people were involved in every stage of planning for the new Young V&A. Is this the start of a real shift in the way children’s museums are planned?
People: Karin Hindsbo
The head of Scandinavia’s largest museum is set to take over as Tate Modern’s new director. She shares her plans
People: Sean Decatur
It’s a big year for the American Museum of Natural History, as its new president takes over and it launches a major new centre
People: Håkon Lund
As Norway’s largest theme park embraces solar energy, Lund Gruppen’s owner tells us why the industry needs to be at the forefront of change
Interview: Andreas Andersen
As Gothenburg’s Liseberg theme park celebrates its 100th anniversary, its CEO talks celebrations, challenges and COVID-19 with Magali Robathan
Museums: And still we rise
Charleston’s long-awaited International African American Museum opens, reclaiming one of the US’s most painful and sacred spaces. IAAM president Dr Tonya Matthews speaks to Attractions Management about the long road to opening
Aquaria: A fresh start
The team behind New Orleans’ Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium used the COVID-19 pandemic to rethink their offer.
We check out the result, which brings both institutions under the same roof for the first time
Museums: Power of youth
Investing in creative confidence in our young has never been as important as it is now, argues Young V&A director Helen Charman
Science centres: Axel Hüttinger
From the creation of a new science centre in Angola to an indoor/outdoor children’s gallery in Barcelona, Huttinger Interactive Exhibitions is keeping busy
Research: Mixed blessings
Attractions have been helping revitalise shopping centres for many years, but how is this market changing?
Awards: Good lookers
Some of the world’s most beautiful and innovative new museums have been celebrated by Architizer’s A+ Awards. We take a look at the winners
Sponsored: Red Raion
Red Raion has emerged as an industry leader in the realm of digital
attractions, captivating audiences worldwide with its CGI movie
experiences.
Sean Decatur has taken over as president of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York, as the museum launches its long-awaited Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation.
Decatur succeeded Ellen Futter, who stepped down in March after 30 years as president.
The AMNH $465m expansion opened in May, adding 230,000sq ft of space to the AMNH. Designed by Studio Gang, the building includes three floors of exhibits, with highlights including a 3,000sq ft butterfly vivarium featuring 80 species of live butterflies, a 5,000sq ft insectarium and a vertical collections facility featuring floor-to-ceiling exhibits representing every area of the museum’s collections in vertebrate and invertebrate biology, paleontology, geology, anthropology, and archaeology.
It also features Invisible Worlds, a 360-degree immersive science-and-art experience, new classrooms and a four-storey civic space.
A biophysicist, Decatur was president of Kenyon College from July 2013.
“I feel as if everything I’ve done in life has led up to the tremendous privilege, responsibility, and opportunity of heading the American Museum of Natural History,” said Decatur. “This great institution is ready to take on the next crucial challenges in everything from scientific research to supporting public education, and to expanding access.”
Speaking to The New York Times, Decatur said: “I’ve spent my career committed to access and opportunity for students, and also to an understanding of science. This feels like a natural evolution.”
“There’s a lot that translates from higher education to the cultural world, but there are also going to be a lot of new things to learn, both about this type of institution and about the museum in particular.”
Decatur is the museum’s first Black president, and follows Ellen Futter’s role as AMNH’s first female president. According to chairman of the museum’s board Scott Bok, increasing diversity in leadership positions is “overdue among large institutions like ours.”
“Look at the city that we live in,” Bok said. “We clearly would like the museum to speak to more people.”
With a background in academia, this is Decatur’s first role leading a cultural institution; something he says could be an advantage.
“Maybe it’s helpful that Sean Decatur isn’t from a museum background when it comes to thinking about how we make the place great for the next 50 years,” said Bok.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2023 issue 3
Editor's letter: Learning to listen
Young people were involved in every stage of planning for the new Young V&A. Is this the start of a real shift in the way children’s museums are planned?
People: Karin Hindsbo
The head of Scandinavia’s largest museum is set to take over as Tate Modern’s new director. She shares her plans
People: Sean Decatur
It’s a big year for the American Museum of Natural History, as its new president takes over and it launches a major new centre
People: Håkon Lund
As Norway’s largest theme park embraces solar energy, Lund Gruppen’s owner tells us why the industry needs to be at the forefront of change
Interview: Andreas Andersen
As Gothenburg’s Liseberg theme park celebrates its 100th anniversary, its CEO talks celebrations, challenges and COVID-19 with Magali Robathan
Museums: And still we rise
Charleston’s long-awaited International African American Museum opens, reclaiming one of the US’s most painful and sacred spaces. IAAM president Dr Tonya Matthews speaks to Attractions Management about the long road to opening
Aquaria: A fresh start
The team behind New Orleans’ Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium used the COVID-19 pandemic to rethink their offer.
We check out the result, which brings both institutions under the same roof for the first time
Museums: Power of youth
Investing in creative confidence in our young has never been as important as it is now, argues Young V&A director Helen Charman
Science centres: Axel Hüttinger
From the creation of a new science centre in Angola to an indoor/outdoor children’s gallery in Barcelona, Huttinger Interactive Exhibitions is keeping busy
Research: Mixed blessings
Attractions have been helping revitalise shopping centres for many years, but how is this market changing?
Awards: Good lookers
Some of the world’s most beautiful and innovative new museums have been celebrated by Architizer’s A+ Awards. We take a look at the winners
Sponsored: Red Raion
Red Raion has emerged as an industry leader in the realm of digital
attractions, captivating audiences worldwide with its CGI movie
experiences.
London Museum will open four new food and drink destinations when it launches its new home
at Smithfield on 28 November, making hospitality a central part of the visitor experience at one
of the capital's biggest cultural openings of the year.
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
