Featured Image: Mark Steigelman; photo credit Surya Adinata

Mark Steigelman Brings Four Decades of Experience Working at Institutions Such as Whitney Museum and Museum of Modern Art to Bethlehem Nonprofit 

BETHLEHEM, PA—Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) is pleased to announce that Mark Steigelman has joined the organization as its Director of Collections and Programming. Steigelman brings nearly 40 years of experience in exhibition design, production and management to HBMS through working at prestigious museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.

A resident of Belvidere, N.J., Steigelman spent nearly two decades as the Director of Exhibition Design and Construction at the Whitney Museum of American Art, where he was responsible for the design and production of all of the Whitney’s exhibitions, including eight Whitney Biennials. In his role, Steigelman also oversaw the four-person staff responsible for exhibition design and production. Prior to joining HBMS, he served three years as the Manager of Museum Operations at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.

“Nearly one-third of the U.S. population lives within a day’s drive of Bethlehem, making it a prime destination for anyone interested in history, arts and culture,” said Steigelman. “Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites has spent nearly six decades preserving and sharing this city’s rich heritage. I am excited to build on that legacy by creating engaging exhibitions, programs and experiences that connect with all ages — and draw even more visitors to discover all that Bethlehem has to offer.”

As HBMS’s Director of Collections and Programming, Steigelman is responsible for planning, designing and installing the organization’s exhibitions at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, Luckenbach Mil and Grist Miller’s House; caring for and displaying the organization’s 60,000-piece artifact collection; managing the research archive and library; overseeing the museums’ public and education programs; and developing new partnerships regionally and nationally to help strengthen HBMS’s collections, programs and support. HBMS’s next exhibition, set to open in October 2025 at the Luckenbach Mill, will highlight the Moravians’ role in providing equipment and supplies for the Colonies during the American Revolution.

“We are pleased to welcome Mark and his exceptional expertise as we strive to elevate the visitor experience to a standard of excellence consistent with that of premier historic destination attractions,” said HBMS President & CEO LoriAnn Wukitsch. “His strategic insight and creative vision will play a vital role in interpreting and sharing the distinct stories that define Bethlehem’s rich history. With Mark’s leadership, we are confident that our historic sites will continue to captivate and inspire audiences from near and far.”

Steigelman began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York before transitioning to the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, N.J. From fall 1992-fall 1994, he also served as Exhibit Specialist at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J.

Throughout his career, Steigelman has focused on strengthening the field of museum studies through lecturing at Seton Hall University in New Jersey and the School of Visual Arts in New York, sharing his expertise with students and future exhibition design professionals, and authoring articles such as “Help for the Small Museum,” which appeared in The Exhibitionist in fall 1992.

 

ABOUT HISTORIC BETHLEHEM MUSEUMS & SITES

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) is a nonprofit institution that brings to life three centuries of American history. HBMS tells the story of a small town of great influence, home to some of our nation’s earliest settlers, America’s first municipal water pumping system and one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. HBMS is located in eastern Pennsylvania, only a one-hour drive north of Philadelphia and two hours west of New York City. The nonprofit is a partner in Moravian Church Settlements-Bethlehem, the United States’ 26th World Heritage site; an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution; and part of Historic Moravian Bethlehem, which is a National Historic Landmark District. For more information, visit historicbethlehem.org.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko