Zoë Ryan assumed leadership of the Hammer Museum at UCLA in early 2022, following the retirement of longtime director Ann Philbin. Her appointment came at a challenging moment, as the Palisades and Eaton fires erupted just days into her tenure, forcing urgent evacuations and impacting museum staff and local communities. Despite personal distractions, Ryan quickly prioritized safety and community engagement, setting a tone of empathy and responsiveness that has continued during her leadership.

Ryan, who was previously chair and curator of architecture and design at the Art Institute of Chicago and led the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, is building on the groundwork laid by Philbin, who expanded the museum’s infrastructure and cultural footprint over 25 years. The Hammer operates with an annual budget of approximately $30.4 million and an endowment of around $150 million. Under Ryan, the institution is emphasizing educational initiatives alongside exhibitions while deepening collaborations across Los Angeles.

One of Ryan’s key early moves was assembling a new senior leadership team, including Michael Wellen as chief curator and Regan Pro as the newly created chief of learning, engagement and research. This team aims to elevate educational programs to a level commensurate with the museum’s exhibition schedule. A flagship example is the classroom-in-residence program, with plans to expand a partnership providing professional development and arts curricula to Title I school teachers, addressing the decline of art education in public schools.

Several recent exhibitions reflect Ryan’s focus on highlighting historically underrepresented artists. The Hammer has hosted the largest U.S. survey of Lebanese artist Huguette Caland and the first comprehensive museum survey of Jamaican-born geometric abstractionist Mavis Pusey. These shows complement the museum’s signature biennial, Made in L.A., as Ryan pursues a strategy described as “pulling threads” from prior Hammer programming to revisit and deepen engagement with past featured artists.

Ryan also oversees the museum’s role in the Mohn Art Collective (MAC3), a joint collection of over 400 gifts managed in partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Early in her tenure, Ryan advocated for acquisitions that better supported a diverse range of local artists, signaling her commitment to reflecting the Los Angeles art scene’s breadth in the Hammer’s collection.

Looking ahead, Ryan envisions the Hammer as a cultural hub anchoring a developing Westside Arts District, potentially linking institutions such as the Fowler Museum, Getty Center, and Skirball Cultural Center, alongside UCLA and neighborhood landmarks. With a new Metro D Line station planned nearby, she anticipates the museum becoming a gateway to Westwood’s growing arts corridor.

Community voices within the museum have noted continuity with Ryan’s predecessor, emphasizing a shared dedication to bold programming and openness rather than abrupt shifts. At the same time, her leadership is recognized for bringing fresh strategic approaches, particularly through collaborative curatorial partnerships and enhanced public engagement. Ryan is also planning the Hammer’s involvement in the forthcoming LA28 Cultural Olympiad, positioning the museum as a key player in the region’s cultural landscape amid the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.