New appointment - Head of Kunsthalle Kiel manages Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin
The leadership levels in Germany's most significant cultural institutions are increasingly in women's hands. Marion Ackermann, appointed as the future President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, is joined by two more top positions filled by art experts.
As the new Director of the Alte Nationalgalerie, Anette Hüsch, Director of the Kunsthalle zu Kiel, takes over from Ralph Gleis on Museum Island in Berlin on March 1, 2025. Hüsch, a 52-year-old from Hannover, was previously at the Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart from 2007 to 2008. As a freelance curator, she designed exhibitions in Berlin, New York, Bonn, or Brussels. Since 2010, she has led the Kunsthalle zu Kiel, reportedly overseeing several annual exhibitions and initiating national and international cooperation projects.
Hüsch is also a member of the Cultural Foundation of the States and the chairman of the Expert Committee for Cultural Heritage in Schleswig-Holstein. She announced plans to further develop the Alte Nationalgalerie from a contemporary perspective, as it was originally founded as a venue for contemporary art.
Addressing a broader audience
Born in Stuttgart, Scherner worked at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden from 2001 to 2006, focusing on the Grüne Gewölbe. After her tenure in the Angewandte Kunst collection of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, she took over the leadership of the current Collections of Art Handicraft and Design, Sculptures and Plastics at Hessen Kassel Heritage in 2010.
Scherner is reportedly an expert in early modern Italian sculpture. She announced plans to make the scientific discourse on the works of the Berlin Collection more concrete and accessible to a broader audience. "It's particularly important to me to address people with migration backgrounds," Scherner stated in a press release.
Foundation [
As the new Director of the Skulpturensammlung and Museum für Byzantinische Kunst at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Scherner, a 57-year-old from Stuttgart, succeeds Julien Chapuis, who left the museum in 2023. Scherner began her career at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden from 2001 to 2006, focusing on the Grüne Gewölbe. After her tenure in the Angewandte Kunst collection of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, she took over the leadership of the current Collections of Art Handicraft and Design, Sculptures and Plastics at Hessen Kassel Heritage in 2010.
Scherner is reportedly an expert in early modern Italian sculpture. She announced plans to make the scientific discourse on the works of the Berlin Collection more concrete and accessible to a broader audience. "It's particularly important to me to address people with migration backgrounds," Scherner stated in a press release.
- The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, known for its art galleries and historical buildings, has a new leader in Marion Ackermann.
- Hesse, being a prominent figure in the art world, will take over as the Director of the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
- The National Gallery in Berlin is set to see significant changes with the arrival of Anette Hüsch, who has experience from the Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart.
- Hesse's background in design exhibitions and international cooperation projects will contribute to the Alte Nationalgalerie's annual exhibitions.
- Schleswig-Holstein's cultural heritage foundation will benefit from Hüsch's chairmanship and expertise in contemporary art.
- Maria Scherner, born in Stuttgart, will serve as the new Director of the Skulpturensammlung and Museum für Byzantinische Kunst in Berlin, following Julien Chapuis's departure.
- Scherner's expertise in early modern Italian sculpture will contribute to making the scientific discourse on the Berlin Collection more accessible to a diverse audience.
- The Hesse Kassel Heritage, with Scherner at its helm, has seen significant growth in Art Handicraft and Design, Sculptures and Plastics collections.
- Berlin's Museum Island and the people who visit it will be influenced by Scherner's plans to address people from various cultural backgrounds.
- Marion Ackermann's appointment as the President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation marks a significant step in the advancement of women in cultural policy, particularly in Germany's museums and art galleries.
