The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto has named Nicholas R. Bell as its next director and CEO. Bell, who was selected via an international search, will start in the role on July 6. He succeeds Josh Basseches, who stepped down at the end of last year after a decade in the role.
Bell is currently president and CEO of Glenbow, an art museum with a collection of more than 250,000 objects in Calgary, Alberta. There since 2019, he has focused on developing the institution’s strategic plan, which “prioritized financial sustainability, increased inclusion and accessibility, and furthered Indigenous community engagement and reconciliation,” according to a release.
He also established an endowment that made the museum admission free, a first for a major museum in Canada, and launched Glenbow Reimagined, a $250 million capital campaign that includes a renovation of the museum’s campus, set to open in 2027.
In a statement, Glenbow board chair Lori Van Rooijen said, “The Board is deeply grateful to Nicholas for his leadership during this significant chapter in Glenbow’s history. His appointment to one of Canada’s premier museums reflects the strength of Glenbow’s vision and the success of the Glenbow Reimagined campaign.”
In its own announcement, Glenbow said that Melanie Kjorlien, the museum’s vice president for engagement and its chief operating officer, would succeed Bell in his dual role, beginning June 1.
ROM’s permanent collection holds some 18 million objects and focuses on art, world culture, and natural history. At the museum, Bell will lead the museum’s finances and operations, as well lead capital campaign projects and its strategic vision. A release also noted that he will be tasked with “foster[ing] a culture of creativity and innovation.”
“As Canada’s leading field research institute, and a global source for new knowledge, ROM can help answer the question of what will be our common future. I am thrilled to join this dialogue, and to be of service to the people of Ontario,” Bell said in a statement.
In statement, ROM board chair Andrew MacLeod said, “Never has the value of major Canadian cultural institutions like ROM been more apparent or relevant. As a museum leader, Nicholas has successfully nurtured broad stakeholder relationships, developed diverse curatorial programs, managed significant capital projects, and driven attendance results. The Board of Trustees is excited to welcome Nicholas to ROM to build on our current momentum and architect a vision to deepen audience connections, further critical research projects, and advance the Museum’s world-class collections, exhibitions, and programs.”
