Valerie Hillings has been named the inaugural director of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The museum is set to open its doors on 11 December 2026. Hillings currently serves as the director of the North Carolina Museum of Art in the United States. She brings extensive background to the role as she worked on the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project previously between 2009 and 2018. During that initial tenure she focused on collection strategy and acquisitions while organizing exhibitions at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Her return to the United Arab Emirates marks a significant leadership transition for the institution. She will manage the strategic direction of the museum as it prepares to welcome the public. Plans for the site on Saadiyat Island began in 2006. The museum aims to connect global cultures and display art from the 1960s to the present day.
Stephanie Rosenthal currently leads the artistic vision and institutional development for the project. She will work with Hillings during the transition period leading up to the opening. The appointment of Hillings follows recent leadership changes across the Guggenheim network where all senior posts are now occupied by women including the foundation leadership.
Hillings leaves the North Carolina Museum of Art after a period of growth. During her time there she led a large fundraising campaign and the museum saw over one million visitors in fiscal year 2025. Her focus now shifts to the final stages of launching the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi on the international stage.