Palm Springs Art Museum seeks new director and prepares to reopen on April 1

“We at the museum are tremendously disappointed that Louis is leaving because he’s a rockstar of a director. He really put the museum on very solid footing," Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad, the interim chairman of the board at the Palm Springs Art Museum told News Channel 3 on Sunday morning.

Following the news of CEO and director Louis Grachos’ resignation, the Palm Springs Art Museum shared with KESQ what the museum’s future will look like.

“Going forward, we feel we have a bright future," Ingebrand-Pohlad said. "We have a most capable staff and a very strong and supportive board so as I told my board, 'You don’t leave the faith because your parish priest leaves,' and the museum is a tremendous community asset and we’re all on deck to find a new director," she explained.

The museum has already assembled a search committee which will be contacting three national search firms this week to find a new director.

“Many museums didn’t fair as well as ours, some were first so close so I think probably there will be a lot of potential directors and curators looking for jobs," she said.

In the meantime, the museum is gearing up for a highly anticipated reopening on April 1.

“The museum has never looked better in my view," she said. "The galleries are scrupulously clean and work has been rehung, the galleries have been reimagined," she added.

Ingebrand-Pohlad said the museum is dedicated to strict guidelines to keep visitors safe. 

“When a visitor first comes to the museum expect to have your temperature taken and there is hand sanitizer provided and understand the museum will be opening at 25 percent capacity initially so what better place to socially distance than in large galleries in a museum," she said.

They are encouraging people to get their tickets in advance when they come available on the museums website here: https://www.psmuseum.org/visit/psam

“When the doors have been closed you can’t imagine how many people go and look in the windows, pound on the doors; people are hungry for culture and so it can’t open soon enough as far as I’m concerned," she said.

There is a virtual art auction to help support the Palm Springs Art Museum starting on April 9. To learn more about it visit: https://www.psmuseum.org/events/art-auction-21