Gretchen Baker, the Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland, will be leaving effective Dec. 31.
The Carnegie Museums announced Monday that Baker would be moving to a position as president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden. She joined the Carnegie in April 2021, after serving as vice president of exhibitions for the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, which includes the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park. She began her career as a member of the scientific research staff at the Field Museum in Chicago.
The Illinois native oversaw the creation of a revolutionary human remains policy during her tenure at the Carnegie, resulting in the permanent removal of a controversial diorama from public display in 2023.
“It is first and foremost about human remains,” Baker said of the policy at the time. “Is it our place to display these items? I think the answer is ‘No.’ My role at this point is to do right by this individual … and return that individual to its homeland.”
In addition, during her time at the Carnegie, the museum launched plans for its first new permanent exhibition in nearly 20 years, “Egypt on the Nile,” and received the largest single donation in the museum’s history from Daniel and Carole Kamin earlier this year, to support both the renovation of Dinosaur Hall and the museum’s scientific mission. She was also the museum’s first female director.
“It has been an honor to serve as the director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History and contribute to Carnegie Museums’ 130-year story,” Baker said in a release. “This is one of the great natural history museums in the world, and I have deep admiration for my colleagues who care for, study and contribute to its world-renowned collections, and bring them to life for audiences through exhibitions and public programs. I am proud of the momentum we have built together and cannot wait to see what the Museum of Natural History team accomplishes in the future. I will be cheering on the four Carnegie Museums from Chicago.”
