After over two years of difficulties and uncertainty, the Montgomery Museum is set to embark on a new phase. On Tuesday, the Montgomery City Council voted unanimously to maintain the museum’s traditional dual governance system. This decision allows for collaboration between the City Museum Committee and the Montgomery Museum Association as they move forward together.

In a report from WSFA, a contract was finalized earlier that same day during a closure meeting with museum leadership, Mayor Stephen Reed, and city council members. This governance proposal is the third iteration, differing from the two previous ones that had support from the city and museum committee separately. This compromise aims to settle the long-standing discussions surrounding governance and solidify the collaborative approach that has guided the museum for nearly six decades.

With the governance structure now confirmed, the museum can start looking for permanent directors, a position that has been vacant since early 2023. The Museum Board is partnering with the Chicago-based Kittleman Group to assist in the search, which also allows for interim directors to be appointed during the process.

At the council meeting, numerous museum supporters, including donors and local artists, came to express their support for the resolution. Local artist Winfred Hawkins, who is set to hold a solo exhibition at MMFA on June 27th, addressed the council and encouraged community engagement with the museum.

The council also approved a $169,090 HVAC agreement aimed at improving the museum’s infrastructure, marking a step toward new investments in the institution’s future stability.

Now that governance issues are settled, museum leaders express a renewed focus on rebuilding staff, hiring new leadership, and continuing the museum’s role as a vital cultural center in Montgomery.