Canadas largest museum has picked a curator from down under to lead them into the next decade.
Janet Carding has been Assistant Director, Public Programs & Operations at the Australian Museum inSydney, since 2004. She also teaches the Museums and Galleries administration segment of the University of Sydneys Museum Studies program.
She will be taking over as CEO and Director of the Royal Ontario Museum after William Thorsell, the museums current leader, retires in August.
Like the ROM the Australian Museum has a collection that stretches into ancient times. In particular it has a large collection devoted to the aboriginalcultures of Australia.
She started her career at the Science Museum in London, UK. The museum said in a press release that, Cardings scope of work includes managing projects during construction of the Science Museum’s Welcome Wing extension, leading exhibition development teams, and coordination of a review of the National Museum of Science and Industry, London (NMSI), resulting in new strategic direction and organizational changes.”
In a statement Carding said that, Im delighted to accept this important position with the Royal Ontario Museum, and am looking forward to building on the momentum of Renaissance ROM, ensuring that its success endures and the Museum thrives, adding, I intend to strengthen and deepen the ROMs relationship with its many audiences, and its place at the heart of the community.
She holds a Masters degree from the University of London in the History of Science and Medicine.
Challenges
As discussed in a blog earlier this week, Carding will take over a museum that has been physically transformed. William Thorsell presided over a $270 million expansion that saw its Bloor Street frontage turned into a giant crystal. The expansion project was called Renaissance ROM.
An immediate challenge for Carding will be to finish the final elements of the expansion. The ROM has plans to build new galleries dedicated to Nubia and the Eastern Roman Empire however they need to get the funds first.
She is also going to be leading the museum at a time when governments are looking at cutting their spending. Canadas federal government is running a deficit of $50 billion a year and the Province of Ontario is dealing with a $20 billion annual shortfall.