Gore Place announced today that Executive Director Susan Robertson will retire in December after 37 years at Gore Place. Ms. Robertson served as Assistant to three previous Directors before being appointed Director in 1993 and Executive Director in 2001, making her the longest-serving Director since Gore Place was founded in 1935.
During her tenure, Ms. Robertson focused on strategic planning, capital infrastructure, and interpretive programs. She established a grant writing initiative at the museum that played a significant role in raising $8,000,000 for the preservation and restoration of Gore Place's three historic buildings and the recently completed construction of two period-appropriate barns on the Gore Farm.
During the COVID pandemic, the grounds at Gore Place remained open and Ms. Robertson led the museum staff to create innovative and engaging socially distanced programs that served hundreds of visitors during a time when most museums were closed. Ms. Robertson also guided the museum in achieving accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2003, as well as re-accreditation in 2013 and 2023, and the UP Designation from the Mass Cultural Council in 2019 for accessibility and inclusion at Gore Place. Her leadership can also be seen in the success of the Sheepshearing Festival at Gore Place, which is now in its 37th year and a New England tradition.
Ms. Robertson was the President of the Board of the New England Museum Association from 2004 to 2006 and served on the Board of the Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce (now Waltham Chamber of Commerce) from 2003 to 2018. She received the Chamber Chairman's Award in 2001 and 2003 and the New England Museum Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
“I am honored to have been Executive Director during such a transformative time at Gore Place. I am very proud of the Gore Place team and all that we have accomplished to move the museum from a hidden gem to a vibrant destination,” said Ms. Robertson.
Ms. Robertson will be named Executive Director Emerita of Gore Place upon her departure. The search for the new Executive Director will be conducted by Museum Search & Reference, Londonderry, New Hampshire.
Gore Place is a 50-acre country estate in the city, a grand Mansion steeped in history, a working farm, and an invaluable community resource located in Waltham and Watertown, MA. The historic estate is owned and operated by Gore Place Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring the estate as a cultural resource for the community.
Gore Place is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and receives funding from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. To learn more, visit goreplace.org
