July 7, 2026

Seattle Art Museum

Feltens

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) announced the appointment of Frank Feltens as its new Susan Brotman Chief Curator. An internationally respected curator, scholar and museum leader, Feltens joins SAM from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, where he most recently served as Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs and Curator of Japanese Art. He will begin his new role at SAM Aug. 17.

As chief curator, Feltens will lead SAM's Curatorial division, shaping the museum's collections, exhibitions, publications and long-term artistic vision across its three sites: the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park. Working closely with Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO Scott Stulen and museum leadership, he will oversee exhibition planning, collection strategy, acquisitions, scholarly initiatives, and a team of curators representing SAM's globally recognized collections.

Feltens joins SAM after a decade at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, where he helped guide the museum's curatorial strategy and organizational transformation while continuing to build an internationally recognized scholarly career in Japanese art. As associate director for Curatorial Affairs, he co-led one of the world's premier Asian art museums, overseeing curatorial teams, strategic planning, and major collection initiatives as the institution entered its second century.