Martina Droth named director of Yale Center for British Art

Martina Droth, an art historian and curator who has served in a series of prominent roles at the Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) over 16 years, will be the museum’s next Paul Mellon Director, Yale President Maurie McInnis announced today.

Up to now the museum’s deputy director and chief curator, Droth has been an integral part of the YCBA team and an active member of the university community, the president wrote in a message to the Yale community, building “an impressive record of achievement through roles of increasing responsibility, from leading the research division and serving as curator of sculpture to her current post.”

“The YCBA,” McInnis said, “will benefit from being led by an art historian and curator who has been instrumental in its success.”

Droth begins her new role on 15 January 2025. Her tenure begins as YCBA prepares to reopen to the public on 29 March 2025, following a two-year renovation that will help safeguard the museum’s collections for generations to come.

“We are delighted Martina has been appointed as director of Yale Center for British Art. She has been a fantastic champion for the Paul Mellon Centre for a number of years and we look forward to developing our partnership with her and the team at the YCBA. This is a really exciting moment for British art and I know Martina's expansive and generous vision for the museum will have a great impact at Yale and far beyond,” Sarah Victoria Turner, Director of the Paul Mellon Centre.

More information on this announcement can be found on Yale News.

Listing image credit: Nick Mead.