UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After seven years as director of the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, Erin M. Coe has accepted a new leadership position as executive director of the Rockwell Museum (a Smithsonian Affiliate) in Corning, New York. Her last day at the Palmer will be Nov. 30. The University will launch a national search for a new director in the coming months. Joyce Robinson, Palmer Museum curator and assistant director, will serve as interim director.
“Throughout her tenure, Erin has demonstrated an unwavering vision for the Palmer Museum of Art,” said B. Stephen Carpenter II, Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Dean in the College of Arts and Architecture. “Under her guidance, the Palmer has transformed from a respected regional university art museum into a visionary arts and cultural asset of national and international visibility.”
Coe, who also serves as associate clinical professor in the College of Arts and Architecture, was at the forefront of the University’s initiative to construct a new state-of-the-art building for the Palmer Museum located in the Arboretum at Penn State. The 73,000-square-foot museum, designed by Allied Works, opened its doors to the public on June 1 and has had unprecedented attendance in the first quarter — 40,819 visitors as of Oct. 20 versus approximately 30,000 per year in the previous location. She has provided transformative leadership reenvisioning the museum’s mission and goals, as well as the strategic direction of the Palmer, which celebrated its 50th anniversary as Penn State's university art museum.
“Leading the evolution of the Palmer Museum from a small campus institution to a new dynamic university art museum and cultural destination is the pinnacle of my career,” Coe said. “I am profoundly grateful to Penn State, my esteemed colleagues in the College of Arts and Architecture, the dedicated staff of the Palmer, and our generous donors, members and friends for their support of my leadership and the museum these past seven years.”
Coe’s leadership and commitment to staff success and greater academic impact led to the development of several groundbreaking exhibitions, including "MADE in PA" (2024), the inaugural exhibition in the new museum, which she co-curated; as well as national traveling exhibitions "Global Asias: Contemporary Asian and Asian American Art from the Collections of Jordan Schnitzer and His Family Foundation" (2021) and "Plastic Entanglements: Ecology, Aesthetics, Materials" (2018), among others. Several exhibitions developed during her time as director were accompanied by significant publications, providing new scholarship that emphasizes local, global and interdisciplinary perspectives.
During Coe’s tenure, the permanent collection has grown by 38%, and she stewarded several significant gifts, including the John Driscoll Collection of American Drawings and the bequest of 200 works of art from museum namesake Barbara Palmer. She spearheaded a major commission by the internationally acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly, titled “Lupine Blue Persian Wall," which wraps the walls of the feature staircase in the new museum building.
Coe forged significant institutional partnerships at the museum, including with Art Bridges and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For the past seven years, she prioritized the acquisition of works by underrepresented artists to bring greater diversity to the museum’s holdings, and oversaw the acquisition of works by such artists as Ernie Barnes, Roberto Lugo, Malcolm Mobutu Smith, Rodrigo Lara, Kukuli Velarde, Purvis Young and Henry Ossawa Tanner, among others. She has led new initiatives to address access, equity and inclusion in the organization’s culture, as well as its exhibitions and public programs. In addition, she has prioritized faculty and student engagement across all areas of the University and established the Palmer's first-ever Teaching Gallery — the Barbara and Lee Maimon Teaching Gallery — in the new museum. She also has made strategic investments in digital interactives, including the virtual art garden wall in the new Kish Bank and William P. Hayes Exploration Gallery, and fostered a community-centered approach to the interpretation of the collection.
“Erin's impact extends far beyond brick and mortar,” said Carpenter, noting Coe developed a forward-thinking strategic plan focused on inclusive education and community engagement that transcends conventional boundaries.
“We are deeply grateful for Erin's contributions and the legacy she leaves behind," Carpenter added. "As she embarks on the next chapter of her impressive career, we wish her continued success and thank her for elevating the Palmer Museum of Art to new heights.”