‘Agility’ top of mind for new CEO of Charlotte’s Levine Museum of the New South
A new CEO has joined the Levine Museum of the New South in the midst of the organization’s revamp to make exhibits more accessible and programming more dynamic.
On Tuesday, Levine officials announced Richard Cooper was selected as president and CEO after a nationwide search to fill the spot of retiring leader Kathryn Hill, who led the museum in uptown for six years.
“I want to build upon Levine Museum’s rich legacy while also fostering agility and adaptability as consumer expectations and demands change, and the Charlotte region grows and evolves,” Cooper said in a statement from Levine. “I am also fully aware of the high expectations this community has for Levine Museum: to amplify its historical role as a beacon of education, empathy, and engagement — making it an even brighter force for understanding and change.”
As The Charlotte Observer reported previously, the museum is returning to its early history, often referred to as a “museum without walls,” prioritizing digital exhibits and timely programming responsive to current events.
The Levine Museum sold its uptown Charlotte building this year for $10.75 million to a New York-based development firm. The property is slated for apartments.
In its place, Levine is open to the public at Three Wells Fargo, 401 South Tryon St., in the heart of the Levine Center for the Arts. Admission is free in the temporary location. Wells Fargo is providing the museum location rent-free for three years, officials have said.
Prior to the museum’s opening in 1996 on 7th Street in uptown Charlotte, the organization hosted pop-up exhibits. The Levine Museum of the New South was founded in 1990.
About the new Levine museum CEO
In his new role, Cooper will be at the helm for a new Charlotte history exhibition expected to launch next year, finding a new, permanent home for the museum and other projects, leaders said Tuesday. An open house with the new CEO is planned for Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 401 S. Tryon St.
Before his job at the Levine, Cooper was vice president and chief programs officer at Conner Prairie Museum near Indianapolis. He also previously served as director of museum experiences at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.
Levine leaders say Cooper is a social justice advocate and authority on interpreting the history of American slavery and the Underground Railroad.
This story was originally published September 12, 2023 at 10:53 AM.