Elizabeth Sackler Named Brooklyn Museum’s First Chairwoman

Brooklyn Museum director Arnold Lehman and Elizabeth Sackler
Photo: Liz Ligon, courtesy Brooklyn Museum.

The Brooklyn Museum has appointed Elizabeth A. Sackler as its new chairwoman, the first time in nearly 200 years of operations that a woman has held that position, reports the New York Times.

Sackler’s predecessor as chairman, John S. Tamagni, served in the role for three years, and is remaining on the board.

“The Brooklyn is ready to completely take off and I really look forward to being at the helm,” Sackler told the Times. “Brooklyn has been sort of the stepchild to Manhattan museums for maybe 75 years and it’s just not going to be the case anymore. “

Sackler is no stranger to the museum, having served on the board since 2000. She also lends her name to the institution’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, which she founded in 2007.

The center serves a permanent home for Judy Chicago’s massive feminist installation work, The Dinner Party. The iconic piece is a triangular dinner table set with 39 elaborately decorated place settings and commemorates 1,038 important women in world history.


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