Concord Museum Names New Director

The Board of Governors of the in historic Concord, Massachusetts, has announced that Peggy Burke, Director of the Foundation Development Department at WGBH in Boston since 2007, and former Executive Director of the Maryland Humanities Council, has accepted the position of the Museum's Executive Director, following a national search.  Ms. Burke, who will begin her tenure on January 10, 2011, succeeds Désirée Caldwell who left the Museum after 14 years this past September. 

Peggy Burke brings to Concord visionary and strategic leadership skills, strong museum and other not-for-profit management experience, an exceptional fund-raising track record, and an outstanding background in the arts and humanities. In addition to her role at WGBH where she directs a 10-person department that raises foundation support for WGBH programs and activities, she oversaw the transformation of the Maryland Humanities Council from 2002-2007 into a vigorous and visible institution that provides meaningful public humanities programs to 1.5 million Marylanders each year.

She was Director of Museums and Properties at Historic New England (1983-1988), and Curator of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art (1976-1980).  She also has an impressive list of strategic planning, organizational development, programming, and fund-raising projects undertaken for not-for-profit organizations in New England and the mid-Atlantic during the 12 years that she served as a cultural resources consultant from 1989-2002.

A scholar in the field of American decorative arts, Ms. Burke holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Delaware, an M.A. in Early American Culture, The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum and the University of Delaware, and a B.A. in Art History, magna cum laude, from Wheaton College. She is married to Dennis Fiori, director of the Concord Museum from 1982-1994, and, as a result, has familiarity with both the Museum and the Concord community.

"Of the many exemplary candidates the national search brought to our attention, Peggy Burke is the right choice to build upon the strong foundation left by Desiree Caldwell's 14-year leadership," said Churchill Franklin, president of the Concord Museum's Board of Governors.  "As the Concord Museum begins its 125^th year of sharing Concord's remarkable history with a world-wide audience, I am confident that Peggy will lead the Museum and its widely respected professional staff and volunteer team to even greater excellence. With both a fresh perspective and a long-time passion for New England history, she will engage Museum members and the larger community in the Museum's mission to enrich lives through lifelong learning.  She is a dynamic leader, well-versed in the needs of non-profits, having led the Maryland Humanities Council for five years and now as the Director of Foundation Development at WGBH.  The Museum's Board of Governors is looking forward to working with her."

"I have great respect and affection for the Concord Museum," said Ms. Burke, "and I am grateful for the opportunity to build upon the wonderful work that has been done here. The staff, collection, and programs of the Museum are exceptional and it will be a delight to return to the community we love."

About the Concord Museum

Renowned as the site of the battle that began the American Revolution and as the home of the most original thinkers and writers of the American literary renaissance, the town of Concord has played a remarkable part in the history of New England and the nation.  The Concord Museum, open 362 days a year, serves as a center for learning and cultural enjoyment for the region and as a gateway to the town of Concord for visitors from around the world. The Museum's collection, now numbering 35,000 objects, has been on view to the public since before the Civil War when it was formed in part by Americana collector Cummings E. Davis.

The Concord Museum is a trusted resource for learning about concepts of liberty, turning beliefs into actions, self-reliance, independent thinking and the preservation of the environment.  Each year, 10,000 students and teachers from 74 Massachusetts communities and 16 states come to the Museum for curriculum-based courses that foster critical thinking skills, problem solving, an understanding of history and literature, and an appreciation of real artifacts.  A year-round calendar of exhibitions and public programs for adults, children, and families fosters a life-long love of history, literature, decorative arts, and community culture.  The Concord Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums.