By Lillian Young
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July 14, 2026
Organization Description: The Museum of the City of New York fosters understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world’s most influential metropolis. It engages visitors by celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the city’s past, present, and future. Founded in 1923, the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) showcases the city’s unique stories and cultural treasures. The country’s first and largest city museum, MCNY presents immersive exhibitions and programs at the intersection of history, popular culture, and art to 200,000 people annually, including 30,000 students and educators, fostering shared identity, civic pride and engagement, and social cohesion for New Yorkers. MCNY has been recognized as one of the leading museums in New York City by publications such as Condé Nast Traveler and the New York Times, with Time Out New York awarding MCNY “Best Museum” in New York in 2021. Position Description: The Director of Education leads MCNY’s mission to foster a civically engaged generation of New Yorkers—reaching children at every age, equipping them to engage actively in their communities and city. Partnering with the Chief Curator and Deputy Director, the Director sets the strategy for MCNY’s education programs and leads the operations that bring that strategy to life across K–12, youth, and family audiences, deepening young learners’ connection to New York City and their capacity to participate in shaping it. The Director will be expected to evaluate, refine, and strengthen MCNY’s existing education programs while setting a roadmap for ambitious expansion that elevates the visibility and reach of these programs, deepens the Museum’s relationship with the DOE, and grows the audiences MCNY serves. This role oversees two distinct but complementary program areas: K–12 Learning, encompassing field trips, curriculum development, and teacher professional development; and Youth and Family, encompassing grant-funded youth civics programming and public family programming. The Director works with the Chief Curator and Deputy Director to translate the Museum’s strategic plan into educational experiences that are intellectually rigorous, grounded in New York City’s history and contemporary life, and accessible to diverse audiences across age groups and learning contexts. Reporting to the Chief Curator and Deputy Director, the Director of Education directly manages an Assistant Director (K–12 Learning) and an Assistant Director (Youth and Family Programming), leading a total team of approximately 10 full-time and part-time staff, and works in close collaboration with curatorial, development, marketing, and external affairs colleagues. The Director also plays a key role in grant stewardship, funder reporting, and relationship management with institutional funders who support education and youth programming. This role involves direct work with students, teachers, families, and young people. Flexibility in schedule is required for occasional weekend and evening programs