Seattle Art Museum director to retire next year

Kimerly Rorshach plans to retire next year, after seven years leading SAM.

During her Seattle tenure, Rorshach oversaw expansion of the museum's endowment. She also spearheaded expansion and renovation of the Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM) in Volunteer Park.

Rorshach came to Seattle from Duke University's Nasher Museum of Art. She's watched the region's demographic makeup change as thousands of young programmers and other tech sector workers have moved into the Seattle area.

Rorshach pushed her colleagues to respond to those changes: SAM began to recruit community advisors for input on proposed exhibitions, including this year's "Double Exposure," both an homage to photographer Edward S. Curtis, best known for his romanticized images of Native Americans, and a showcase for the work of three contemporary indigenous artists.

Rorshach announced her departure in late October. She will retire next autumn, the day after SAAM's grand reopening.