Frank Robinson reappointed as Director of Johnson Museum

14 Feb '07

3 min read

Franklin W. Robinson has been reappointed to a fourth five-year term as the Richard J. Schwartz Director of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. His reappointment, effective July 1, was announced by Cornell Provost Biddy Martin.

"It is common knowledge that Frank is an extraordinarily gifted and enthusiastic leader of a much treasured campus and community resource," Martin said. "The museum has expanded in interesting and significant areas over the past 15 years because of Frank's strategic vision and passion for [its] mission."

Since Robinson became director in 1992, the profile of the museum has risen considerably, through year-round public events, collaborations with alumni, faculty, students and campus organizations, and participation in the local Discovery Trail.

"It's very unusual for museum directors to be in one place for more than a decade," Robinson said. "But it's useful to be in a place for that long. My vision of a museum is it should be the intellectual, cultural and social center of the campus and the community, and that's what I think this museum really is. It's an exciting place, a place for intellectual fun."

As the museum's most visible advocate, Robinson travels 100 days a year to meet with alumni.

"We're reaching out to alumni a great deal; this year alone we have nine exhibitions drawn from alumni collections," he said. "The curators and I must travel. The art is in New York or London or Tokyo or Beijing or what have you; and most of the alumni are in New York City, California and Florida. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it."

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