Following a nation-wide search, Martin Mahoney, Director of Operations and Collections at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, has been appointed Bennington Museum’s next Executive Director. He will assume his leadership position in Bennington on September 8, 2021.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work at such a fantastic institution with an exceptional staff and a very engaged board. I’m eager to become a participant in the local community and contribute to the continued growth of the Museum, the vibrant town of Bennington, and to strive to make the Museum a warm and welcoming place for all,” Mahoney stated.
Mahoney begins his tenure with Bennington Museum with an impressive and progressive track record of more than 20 years of Museum leadership experience. At the Norman Rockwell Museum, Mahoney was responsible for managing the Museum’s national and international traveling and onsite exhibitions as well as supervising Registration, Collections, Facility Operations, and Security Departments. As a member of the museum executive team, he was deeply involved in fundraising and budgeting on the institutional level, managing multiple departments, overseeing the preservation and operational management of the Museum’s historical buildings, and participating as a key stakeholder in the institutional strategic planning for the expansion of the Museum.
Additionally, Mahoney has curated numerous exhibitions including Journey: David Macaulay (2019), Perspective and Place: Thomas W. Barrett’s Hudson River Valley (2016), and Mort Kunstler: The Art of Adventure (2014), to name a few. He graduated from Castleton State University with a BA in history and holds advanced degrees from both the State University of New York at Albany, where he received an MA in Public History and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where he completed his MBA. Mahoney also participated in the prestigious Getty Leadership Institute (now the Museum Leadership institute) in 2019.
A member of the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Mahoney has served as the chapter vice-chair and chair and has previously sat on the boards of the Williamstown Art Conservation Center as well as the Massachusetts Art Commission at the State House. He is particularly interested in the intersection of history and popular culture, as well as the evolving cross connection of environmental stewardship and community advocacy and how they can be leveraged as economic engines to assist in the revitalization of communities.
“I am delighted to welcome Martin Mahoney as our next Executive Director, and look forward to working with him and introducing him to our community,” says Consie West, chair of the Board of Trustees. Interim director David Pilachowski continues, “He has a breadth and depth of successful experience in the museum world, is committed to making the Museum a significant presence in the regional community, and has shown creativity in responding to new challenges. The Museum has made an excellent decision in selecting Martin to lead it into the future.”
Bennington Museum presents and explores the rich culture of southern Vermont and neighboring regions from the 18th century to the present. Visit benningtonmuseum.org to learn more about virtual and in-person, year-round exhibitions and programming. Bennington Museum is located at 75 Main Street in Bennington, Vermont. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students over 18. Bennington Museum participates in NARM, Blue Star Museum, and the Museums for All initiatives.