Valerie Hillings Named Founding Director of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

Hillings is no stranger to the project. Between 2009 and 2018, she served as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s curator and associate director for the Abu Dhabi initiative, working directly on acquisition strategies and the building’s complex design. Her appointment signals a shift from planning to public engagement as the museum prepares to showcase art from the 1960s to the present day.

Since leaving the project in 2018, she has led the North Carolina Museum of Art, where her tenure saw a revitalization of gallery spaces and a surge in annual attendance to 1.2 million visitors. She now inherits a massive footprint in the UAE, including 11,600 square meters of interior exhibition space and an additional 23,000 square meters of outdoor areas. Hillings will manage the museum’s inaugural programming and strategic direction, positioning the site as a bridge for cultural exchange within the Saadiyat district’s expanding roster of institutions.