Joan Rosenbaum (born in Hartford, Connecticut)[1] is an American curator and was the director of the Jewish Museum from 1981 her retirement in September 2011.
[1] Rosenbaum received honorary doctorates from Denmark's Knighthood of the Order of the Dannebrog (1983), the Chevalier for Arts and Letters from the Cultural Ministry of France (1999),[1] and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (2003).
[1] She curated numerous exhibitions during her tenure as director the Jewish Museum, including the following:[1] She also curated exhibitions for individual artists, including Man Ray, Anni Albers, Marc Chagall, Chaïm Soutine, Amedeo Modigliani, Camille Pissarro, Louise Nevelson, Sarah Bernhardt, and Eva Hesse.
[1][4] Alongside her involvement at the Jewish Museum, Rosenbaum played a role in a lobbying coalition in 1984 that advocated for a substantial increase in annual state aid to the arts, amounting to $11 million or a 28 percent raise..[9] Rosenbaum has demonstrated her commitment to the art and museum community through her active involvement in various organizations.
These roles demonstrate her active engagement and support for these organizations, highlighting her commitment to the arts and her willingness to contribute her expertise and time to further their missions.