Caroline Jean Fernald has taken the helm as the new executive director of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture, a decision announced by Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra last month. Her tenure commenced on Wednesday, marking the beginning of her leadership role in overseeing a collaborative alliance involving various entities such as the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, and the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Formerly serving as the executive director of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley, Fernald brings a wealth of experience to her new position. Her involvement in managing the Hearst Museum involved addressing critical issues such as the repatriation of Native American human remains and cultural artifacts. This process was mandated by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
At Harvard, Fernald is set to engage in a similar repatriation initiative as the University endeavors to expedite the return of numerous Native American human remains, predominantly housed within the Peabody Museum. The extent of Harvard’s holdings of human remains came to light through a September 2022 report commissioned by the University, which was leaked to The Crimson earlier in the same year.
Expressing her perspective on museum stewardship, Fernald highlighted the importance of accountability when overseeing institutions that one holds a profound passion for. She emphasized the need to address pertinent issues associated with museums that one deeply cherishes.
Fernald steps into the role following the tenure of Brenda Tindal, the former director of HMSC, who assumed the position of the inaugural FAS Chief Campus Curator last February.
Her previous experience includes leading the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, N.M., where she curated an exhibit centered on showcasing paintings, textiles, and pottery depicting indigenous plants. Fernald plans to apply her interdisciplinary approach to HMSC, aiming to bridge art, science, history, and religion through innovative programs and exhibits.
Acknowledging the vast potential within HMSC’s diverse offerings, Fernald aims to create connections between different fields, fostering collaborative programs that intertwine art, science, history, and religious studies.
Moreover, Fernald expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with Harvard faculty to facilitate direct engagement between students and the museum collections. This approach seeks to enhance students’ educational experiences by directly involving them with the museums’ rich and diverse collections.
