Todd Caissie (Osage), Executive Director, Montclair Art Museum.
Sitting in his new office on the top floor of the Montclair Art Museum’s administration building, Todd Caissie looks out over the streets of Montclair below.
It’s a fitting view for the museum’s newly appointed executive director, whose vision extends well beyond the walls of MAM’s historic 1914 building.
Before he talks about exhibitions, acquisitions or attendance goals, Caissie tells me about a dream that has shaped the way he thinks about MAM’s future.
He woke up after imagining the museum exploding — not in destruction, but in transformation. Works of art were scattered across New Jersey, landing in communities where people encountered them in unexpected places.
“The symbolism was very clear to me,” he said.
That dream became the foundation for the metaphor he now uses to describe his vision for the Montclair Art Museum (MAM).
“Traditionally, museums are object-driven and function like black holes — accumulating art while gatekeeping narratives. I envision MAM functioning like an exploding sun,” Caissie said.
For Caissie, the concept represents a shift in how museums can serve their communities: one in which art, resources and educational programs extend beyond the building and into the community.
Hear Caissie explain the “exploding sun” metaphor behind his vision for MAM in the video below.
A New Era for the Montclair Art Museum
Caissie’s appointment marks a new chapter for MAM, building on the foundation established under the leadership of Ira Wagner, who led the museum since 2020. He joined the museum as deputy director in July 2025 before becoming interim director on Jan. 1. Now that the role is officially his, he’s focused on expanding MAM’s reach and strengthening its role as a cultural anchor in Montclair.
He steps into leadership during a broader transition period for the museum. MAM recently hired Chief Curator Kate Kraczon following the retirement of Dr. Gail Stavitsky, whose more than three decades of curatorial leadership helped shape MAM’s nationally recognized collection and exhibitions.
Despite its national reputation, the Montclair Art Museum remains a hidden gem. It’s a cultural landmark admired for its nationally recognized collections, yet still undiscovered by some longtime Montclair residents.
“My goal is to not make it hidden anymore,” he said.
A Museum Built Around People
When Caissie talks about the museum’s future, he rarely begins with the collection.
He starts with people.
“I don’t want us to always be focused on how we get people into our building,” he said. “I want us thinking about how we help people.”
That shift in thinking is at the heart of his vision for MAM. He wants the museum to become a place that actively serves the community. That means partnering with schools, artists, nonprofits and local organizations while creating programs that reach beyond the museum’s walls.
That philosophy reflects a career spanning museum leadership, arts education and nonprofit management. A member of the Osage Nation, Caissie previously served as director of the New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum in Canada. He also sat on the board of Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum and advised MAM on its “Interwoven Power: Native Knowledge/Native Art” reinstallation. Earlier in his career, he spent more than a decade as an executive search consultant in Tokyo and New York before transitioning into museums.
“A nonprofit should be doing some kind of service,” he said. “We should be helping Toni’s Kitchen. We should be helping artists. And we should be helping the public schools. If we’re there where people live and work, they’ll see we’re relevant.”
His approach has also been influenced by an unexpected source: “Unreasonable Hospitality,” a bestselling book by restaurateur Will Guidara. If you’ve seen “The Bear,” you may recognize the philosophy in Richie’s transformation and his focus on creating meaningful experiences for guests. Inspired by that approach, Caissie has begun introducing unexpected touches to museum events, including surprise performances and interactive experiences at this year’s Art in Bloom gala.
Reimagining What a Museum Can Be
That philosophy is already shaping MAM’s direction.
Working alongside Kraczon, Caissie plans to build on the museum’s renowned collections while creating exhibitions and programs that bring in both longtime patrons and new visitors. His priorities include expanding partnerships with community organizations, strengthening the School of Art, developing art and wellness initiatives and creating experiences that give people new reasons to return.
For Caissie, the measure of success goes beyond attendance numbers or the popularity of an exhibition. It’s about whether people across Montclair and beyond feel that MAM is a place that belongs to them.
Ultimately, he hopes the museum becomes more than a destination people visit — but a resource woven into the fabric of the community, sharing its art, creativity and ideas far beyond its walls.
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