Te Papa’s Head of Art and former Director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Jaenine Parkinson, has been appointed CEO of Museums Aotearoa.

Museums Aotearoa, the peak body for Aotearoa’s public museums and galleries, is the preeminent voice representing the interests of collecting and exhibiting organisations in the arts, culture and heritage sector. 

Its membership comprises more than 150 institutions and thousands of staff and volunteers across the country. It focuses on strong networking, sharing of professional skills amongst its members, and providing information and advocacy on salient sector issues. 

“In our new CEO, we were looking for someone who could elevate the mana and expertise of our members, who could build on the corporate and political nous of our past CEOs, and take the organisation forward in fresh directions,” Museums Aotearoa Co-Chair David Reeves said. 

“In Jaenine, we found a strategic arts and cultural leader with decades of experience in galleries and museums,” Co-Chair Carolyn Roberts-Thompson said. 

“We saw a leader with demonstrated experience building partnerships, developing funding opportunities, and a strong commitment to bicultural practice and Te Titiri o Waitangi.” 

Parkinson will lead the organisation’s refreshed strategy to 2029, ensuring a strong network and that the work of museums and galleries is understood and valued by communities, central and local government. 

“Museums and galleries are vital civic platforms. They inspire us, connect us, and help us understand what has come before while imagining what is possible,” Jaenine Parkinson says. 

“Museums Aotearoa’s mission to help our sector thrive through advocacy, connection, and development gives me both momentum and purpose.

“With nearly two decades in the sector, I have seen the power of art, culture, and heritage when we champion our taonga and the mātauranga they hold.

“I am committed to leading a cohesive and ambitious strategy, strengthening our national interconnectedness, and supporting iwi and hapū led initiatives to flourish. 

“Above all, my focus will be on delivering for our members by amplifying their already significant impact in communities, in education, in tourism, and supporting them in caring for the collections that shape our shared story,” Jaenine Parkinson said.

Jaenine will start with Museums Aotearoa on Monday 13 April.