Pierre Terjanian appointed Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Formally elected at a meeting of the MFA’s Board of Trustees earlier today, Terjanian becomes the 12th director in the Museum’s 155-year history. He was selected after a seven-month international search overseen by a committee appointed by the Board.

“Pierre's brilliant curatorial vision, deep understanding of the MFA and our renowned collections, and inspirational leadership style have led the Board of Trustees to unanimously choose him to lead the Museum confidently and boldly into the future,” said Marc S. Plonskier, Chair of the MFA’s Board of Trustees.

"I am honored to follow Matthew Teitelbaum as the MFA’s next Ann and Graham Gund Director. With its remarkable collection, array of programs, and a Board and staff deeply engaged with the Museum's mission, the MFA has great assets to continue serving audiences, building community, and upholding its role as one of the world's major art museums,” said Terjanian. “We live in a time when cultural institutions have a prime opportunity to demonstrate the positive difference they can make in the lives of individuals—and in society. I am excited to take on this work, and I believe even greater impact will come in the form of partnerships in and beyond Boston. I look forward to working closely with the Board, my colleagues, and partners on forging this path for the future."

Terjanian has 28 years of experience at three major U.S. museums, including the MFA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He began his tenure at the MFA in January 2024 as a leadership team member overseeing stewardship of the Museum’s renowned global collection of more than 500,000 objects and all conservation activities. A dedicated scholar with operational and management expertise, Terjanian directs the development and implementation of the MFA’s exhibition program—both in Boston and touring around the world.

“In a search process that began with a survey of our staff, Board, and a range of stakeholders, Pierre’s name came up again and again from nearly every corner of the institution and from our community—and it’s no surprise,” said Emi M. Winterer, President of the MFA’s Board of Trustees. “He quickly earned the trust and respect of his colleagues and has all the intangibles to lead an institution as storied and significant as the MFA.”

Prior to joining the MFA, Terjanian served for 10 years as Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Curator in Charge of Arms and Armor at The Met. He led one of the museum’s iconic curatorial departments, overseeing a collection of objects from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and America from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages to the 21st century. He curated the groundbreaking exhibition The Last Knight: The Art, Armor, and Ambition of Maximilian I (October 7, 2019–January 5, 2020). The most ambitious North American loan exhibition of European arms and armor in decades, The Last Knight featured 180 objects from collections in Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S.

In 2024, he was awarded the Marica Vilcek Prize in Art History for his dedication to identifying and honoring the cultural contexts for these objects, and for his leadership in diversifying the collection. Additional accomplishments include acquisitions, onsite programs and digital initiatives—including digitizing approximately 16,000 objects and launching a series of essays that introduced new audiences to the world of The Met. Earlier this year, the French government named him a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et de Lettres, a high order of merit that recognizes cultural contributions made by French foreign nationals.

In addition to his work with the Arms and Armor department, Terjanian was actively involved in broader institutional initiatives at The Met. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he co-chaired the museum’s reopening task force, implementing museum-wide safety and reopening plans. He is also a seasoned fundraiser, having secured $100 million in gifts, promised gifts, bequests, and pledges of works of art. This includes a landmark gift from Ronald S. Lauder, the most important of its kind in nearly 80 years, which included 91 objects of European arms and armor along with funds to support critical gallery enhancements and educational programs.

Before his move to The Met in 2012, Terjanian was the J. J. Medveckis Associate Curator of Arms and Armor and acting head of the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts before 1700 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In addition to his curatorial responsibilities, Terjanian provided oversight of two major conservation initiatives during his tenure in Philadelphia.

“It is truly an honor to pass the leadership of this great institution to Pierre—an inspiring colleague who believes strongly in the role of art and museums, and the importance of culture and community,” said Teitelbaum. “His dedication to the curatorial field, and across museum functions, is deeply informed by his unwavering commitment to inquiry, strategy, and working with others to address the critical issues facing public institutions today.”

A native of Strasbourg, France, Terjanian is educated in business law, management, and history. He earned a master’s degree in law from Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, followed by a master’s degree in management from HEC Paris. He later obtained a pre-doctoral degree in history at the Université de Metz before pursuing further studies at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2017, he was a fellow at the Center for Curatorial Leadership, a training and mentorship program that provides experienced curators with instruction from Columbia Business School faculty and leaders in the museum field to help them guide today’s museums and anticipate future challenges.