Brooklyn Museum Chief Raises Concerns About Gender Bias in Museum Leadership

Pasternak argues male directors often retire, while female counterparts get fired

Mar. 13, 2026 at 10:13am

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In a recent forum, Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak voiced concerns about what she sees as a troubling pattern in museum leadership, where male directors often retire while their female counterparts more frequently get fired. Pasternak's comments echo concerns raised by other museum leaders, who say periods of uncertainty can prompt institutions to become more cautious, leading to greater scrutiny of newer leaders, often women or people of color, who are trying to push through significant changes.

Why it matters

Pasternak's comments highlight ongoing issues of gender bias and lack of support for women in museum leadership roles, even as many institutions have publicly committed to appointing more diverse leaders. Her remarks come amid several high-profile departures of women leaders from major museums in the US and Europe, raising questions about the strength of those diversity commitments.

The details

Pasternak made her comments at a forum in Washington, D.C. alongside guests including Jodie Foster, Christophe Cherix of MoMA, and Chelsea Clinton. She said she's worried about the direction of leadership in both the country and the museum sector. Her concerns echo those found in the Burns Halperin Report, which found that many women in the field raised the issue of a potential backlash against female leadership, while none of the men interviewed brought it up. According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts director Susan Fisher Sterling, periods of uncertainty can prompt institutions to become more cautious, leading to greater scrutiny of newer leaders, often women or people of color, who are trying to push through significant changes.

  • The forum where Pasternak spoke took place last weekend in Washington, D.C.

The players

Anne Pasternak

The director of the Brooklyn Museum who voiced concerns about gender bias in museum leadership.

Jodie Foster

An actress who was a guest at the forum where Pasternak spoke.

Christophe Cherix

The director of the Museum of Modern Art who was a guest at the forum.

Chelsea Clinton

An attendee at the forum where Pasternak spoke.

Susan Fisher Sterling

The director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. who commented on how periods of uncertainty can lead to greater scrutiny of newer leaders, often women or people of color.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

Pasternak's comments highlight the ongoing challenges women face in securing and maintaining leadership roles in the museum sector, even as institutions have publicly committed to greater diversity. Her remarks underscore the need for deeper, systemic change to address gender bias and provide more equitable support for women leaders trying to drive institutional transformation.