The California Museum appoints new executive director – Daily Democrat

The California Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Erin Clancey as the Museum’s new executive director.

According to a California Museum press release, Clancey is a “visionary museum executive with over 25 years of experience shaping major cultural institutions.” She will assume the role in September 2026, succeeding Amanda Meeker, who recently retired after 28 years.

“I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to lead the California Museum at such an important moment in its evolution,” said Clancey. “The Museum is in an extraordinary position to continue telling meaningful stories about the people, ideas, and movements that have shaped our state. I look forward to working with its talented staff, board, partners, and communities across California to broaden access and steward the Museum into its next chapter.”

“Erin brings an exceptional depth of knowledge and a genuine passion for making history, art, and cultural experiences accessible to all,” said Anne Marie Petrie, California Museum Board of Trustees chair. “California’s story is unlike any other; it’s one of remarkable diversity, innovation, and influence. It deserves someone who understands how to bring that story to life for every visitor, and Erin is that person. We are thrilled to welcome her home to California and confident she is the right person to shape the Museum’s future.”

A Davis native, Clancey will be returning home after building a distinguished career in curatorial and exhibitions leadership at institutions across the country. Clancey currently serves as associate vice president of Collections & Exhibits at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she has been based since 2017.

During her tenure, she has led a multidisciplinary team across seven divisions, including exhibitions, collections, archives, and digital assets, and guided the interpretation of collections through tours, programs, and exhibitions. Under her leadership, the museum launched a comprehensive digital collections platform that made the museum’s holdings publicly accessible for the first time.

Before joining the World War II Museum, Clancey served as the chief curator at the Skirball Cultural Center & Museum in Los Angeles, where she oversaw a collection of more than 85,000 artifacts and led the conception and production of exhibitions spanning ancient history, the Civil Rights movement, and contemporary art.

She managed a multidisciplinary team of curators, registrars, exhibit designers, and gallery educators and built lasting relationships with cultural institutions, scholars, donors, and artists across the country. Clancey completed graduate studies in archaeology at UCLA and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Art History at the University of St. Andrews. She also holds a certificate in archaeology from Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and dual bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and psychology from UC San Diego.

Clancey steps into her role at a pivotal moment for the California Museum. Since its founding in 1998, the Museum has transformed from a showplace for the California State Archives into a vibrant cultural center dedicated to sharing the lesser-told stories of the Golden State.

With attendance and programming continuing to expand each year, Clancey’s vision for accessible and dynamic storytelling is poised to build on that momentum and usher in an exciting new era for the Museum.