The Mütter Museum is changing course with new leadership

After recent years of turbulent change, the Mütter Museum is embracing a different direction under new leadership.

On Monday, Larry Kaiser, CEO of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the Mütter’s parent organization, informed staff that he was eliminating the position of executive director and relieving Kate Quinn of her responsibilities in that role. Quinn, a polarizing administrator, joined the museum in September 2022 as its first dedicated museum director.

Kaiser’s move signals a shift for the institution that has experienced an identity crisis under Quinn and previous CEO Mira Irons, who led efforts to remake the Mütter into a contemporary museum focused on health and wellness, not death.

» READ MORE: Kate Quinn, Mütter Museum’s controversial director, has been removed

In an interview with The Inquirer on Wednesday, Kaiser called Quinn’s former position an unnecessary one. He added that he has a different philosophy from the previous leadership because he believes that, as long as visitors treat the collection with respect, “it doesn’t mean people can’t have fun.”

“I don’t sit in judgment of why people want to come to the museum or what they get out of it because I think it varies,” said the thoracic surgeon, who had been a longtime college fellow and former museum board member before he was appointed CEO in January.

“But I also believe that museums should educate, and they should also entertain. I think we have a tremendous opportunity here to utilize what we have in these collections, as long as it’s in the context of providing the education piece.”

Over the past two years under Quinn, the organization attempted to tackle complex questions about the ethics of displaying human remains in its collection, most of which were obtained during the 19th century with little information about their provenance.

In many cases, the people whose bones and organs are on view today did not grant their consent. As medical history museums around the world have reckoned with that reality, Quinn embarked on the Pew-funded project Postmortem: Mütter Museum, inviting the public’s feedback through town halls and an exhibit, and initiated a collection-wide audit that has not yet been completed.

Many of Quinn’s methods, however, sparked backlash from her staff and the Mütter’s dedicated audience, particularly after she removed hundreds of educational videos and online exhibits. She also canceled several popular events that she deemed inappropriate, including the Halloween-themed Mischief at the Mütter, the holiday market Dr. Mütter’s Merry Emporium, silent film screenings, and happy hours in the garden.

“I’m very open to those [types of events], and I’d like to see those come back,” Kaiser said, noting that attendance to these was frequently high, with some attracting 700 guests. “I want people to enjoy the museum, however it is that they enjoy it.”

The Mütter has other rebuilding to do, as well. Kaiser said visitor and membership numbers have declined in the past two years and “some of that is due to some of the controversy that was created” under Quinn and Irons. With increased programming at the museum and online, he hopes the Mütter can regain momentum and bring back more people.

Regarding the review of human remains, Kaiser acknowledged the tension between avid fans who want the museum to remain untouched and concerned visitors who believe the Mütter should make significant changes to its displays, with transparency about its problematic history.

“This tension is a good thing, because it allows us the opportunity to address some of these issues … I want people to think about that ethical question,” he said. “It’s up to us to be able to recognize areas where there is some controversy [and] ethical dilemma, and utilize this incredible talent we have running the museum now to bring that out and let people think through this, as long as we put it in that context.”

Two staffers will take over Quinn’s responsibilities: Erin McLeary, who has served as the museum’s senior director of collections and research for a year, and the newly hired Sara Ray, senior director of interpretation and engagement, who once volunteered as a Mütter docent. They will continue the collection review.