Philadelphia Art Museum’s new director and CEO will be Daniel H. Weiss

Weiss has ties to the Philly region and had been the head of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Peter Crimmins

Updated Nov. 21, 2025 7:21 pm

A banner at the east entrance to the Philadelphia Art Museum previews a new name and a logo featuring a griffin. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

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Less than three weeks after firing its previous CEO Sasha Suda, the Philadelphia Art Museum has named her successor. The new leader of the museum will be Daniel H. Weiss.

Weiss is an art historian who was the CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art until he stepped down two years ago. In that role, he mostly ran the business end of the Met, for which he is credited with stabilizing its finances.

Leadership of the Met was split. Another director looked over programming and curatorial direction. In Philadelphia, Weiss will oversee all aspects of museum operations.

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In a statement, Art Museum board chair Ellen Caplan said Weiss’ leadership track record made him “ideally suited to provide stability and strategic direction during this critical period for the art museum.”

Weiss has ties to this region. Earlier in his career, he was president of Haverford College and Lafayette College.

He begins his new role in Philadelphia on Dec. 1.

“It is a privilege and an honor to serve during this important moment,” Weiss said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the Board, staff, and stakeholders to ensure the art museum continues its vital mission and advances its strategic priorities.”

Suda, who was fired Nov. 4, has since filed a lawsuit against the museum board.

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