Chrysler Museum of Art Names Brock Curator of American Art, Caroline Culp

NORFOLK, VA (January 13, 2026)– The Chrysler Museum of Art is proud to announce the appointment of Caroline Culp, Ph.D., as the new Brock Curator of American Art. Following an extensive nationwide search, Culp will join the Chrysler Museum in February 2026. This role oversees the collection of American Art created before 1945, one of the Museum’s key areas of focus with substantial holdings of early American portraiture, Hudson River School landscape painting, and an extensive collection of neoclassical marble sculpture.

“We are thrilled to welcome Caroline to the Chrysler Museum. Beyond the wide-ranging expertise she will bring to the collection, we are excited by her strong commitment to compelling storytelling, which will offer our visitors exciting new perspectives on American Art,” said Mark A. Castro, Ph.D., Director of Curatorial Affairs. “Culp’s curatorial practice draws on the historical depth of works of art to emphasize their contemporary relevance, foregrounding the voices of women, artists working outside academic traditions, and the material lives of objects. She is committed to making American art history accessible, intellectually vibrant, and deeply connected to local communities.”

Culp earned her B.A. in Art History and History (with Honors, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa) from Wake Forest University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History from Stanford University. She most recently served as Warren Family Assistant Curator at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. She has previously held curatorial positions at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College, the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, developing a curatorial approach rooted in collaboration, storytelling, and inclusive interpretation.

“I am honored to join the Chrysler Museum of Art and to steward one of the region’s most important collections of American art,” said Culp. “My work has always been rooted in rigorous research and compelling interpretation that connects works of the past to the questions of our present. I am excited to bring this approach to the Chrysler Museum, deepening its commitment to scholarship, accessibility, and community engagement.”

Culp will join the Chrysler Museum in late February, alongside Mary Catherine Langston, the Brock Curatorial and Research Assistant, who joined the Museum this month. This newly endowed position is responsible for supporting the work of the Museum’s curators through research related to the collection and exhibition development. Mary Catherine Langston holds a B.A. and M.A. in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University and has worked at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts since 2021, most recently as an Exhibitions Assistant. Her experience spans curatorial research, provenance investigation, exhibition planning, and publication development. Langston brings a strong background in object-based research, collaborative project management, and scholarly writing in support of major exhibitions and permanent collection initiatives.

Joan Brock is a longstanding Chrysler Museum supporter, as was her late husband, Macon Brock. Their generosity and vision continue to enhance the Museum as a national leader in the scholarship and appreciation of American art.

ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art welcomes you to connect with art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 35,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum also includes free admission, the state-of-the-art Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.

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