Levine Museum of the New South names Richard Cooper president and CEO

Driving the news: Cooper’s first day is Sept. 12 and he replaces Kathryn Hill, who retired in December, as president and CEO. John Russick served as the museum’s interim leader.

Why it matters: The museum is in a period of transition. It moved to a new location under Hill at Three Wells Fargo Center (401 S. Tryon St.) last fall and sold its old building off 7th Street in 2022. Now there’s a new leader at the helm, as the museum searches for a new permanent home, which they hope to move into by 2025, per museum officials. 

Details: The museum will launch a new Charlotte history exhibition in 2024, plus a digital project called “50 places in Charlotte” and a podcast exploring Charlotte’s achievements and challenges.

Catch up quick: Cooper, a longtime public historian, was previously vice president and chief programs officer at the Conner Prairie Museum near Indianapolis.

• He was also the director of museum experiences at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, where he spearheaded the development of a mobile tour allowing people around the world to tour the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center virtually.
• Cooper, a Cincinnati native, taught a Northern Kentucky University, where he also has a master’s degree in public history and a doctorate in education. He has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Cincinnati.

What they’re saying: “I want to build upon Levine Museum’s rich legacy while also fostering agility and adaptability as consumer expectations and demands change, and the Charlotte region grows and evolves,” Cooper said in a statement. “I am also fully aware of the high expectations this community has for Levine Museum: to amplify its historical role as a beacon of education, empathy, and engagement – making it an even brighter force for understanding and change.”

What’s next: The museum will hold an open house to welcome Cooper on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 11am-1pm. The museum will also open “States of Incarceration,” a national traveling exhibition documenting the history of incarceration through human stories, on Sept. 23.

Of note: Admission at the museum’s current location is free.