Ilene Frank Takes the Helm Leading Connecticut Museum of Culture and History

The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History’s Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Ilene J. Frank to Executive Director and CEO. She succeeds Robert A. Kret, who has retired after seven years of leading the institution.

Frank has served for 10 years at the Museum, most recently as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer since 2023, and the Chief Curator from 2015-2022. During her tenure, the Connecticut Museum has received 14 state and national awards, and she spearheaded the Museum’s major rebranding effort in 2023.

“The Board of Trustees are pleased that Ilene will be taking the Museum into its next chapter,” Michael Cantor, Chairman of the Board of Trustees said. “She is knowledgeable about the Museum’s collection, Connecticut’s history, and the many communities it serves—which will make her a strong leader of the organization.”

The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1825 as the state’s premier historical society and cultural institution. Located in the historic West End of Hartford, the Museum houses exhibitions, a library, a research center, and a vast collection of over 4 million objects, documents, images, and artifacts.

As Executive Director and CEO, Frank will oversee the Museum’s staff of over 55 employees as they annually serve more than 64,000 visitors from across the state and beyond. Through exhibitions, community outreach, programs, and K-12 education, she will continue to build upon the Museum’s current strategic plan and momentum in expansion planning efforts with the Board of Trustees, key stakeholders, and community leaders. In addition, Frank will oversee the Museum’s $5M+ budget and the diversification of its revenue streams.

“I am thrilled to bring my experience and my passion for this organization to the role of Executive Director and CEO,” Ilene Frank said. “The Connecticut Museum is an important public institution and a space that brings communities together, and I hope to continue this legacy of sharing Connecticut’s whole history and culture. There are many exciting plans and projects in development, and I look forward to leading these efforts to fruition.”

Frank has previously served as the Executive Director of Rensselaer County Historical Society (NY), where she oversaw an operational budget of $315,000, and as Associate Director of Schenectady Museum and Planetarium (NY), where she managed the Museum’s mission-oriented departments.

She has appeared in various media outlets and publications, including WNPR’s Where We Live, Connecticut Explored magazine, and WFSB’s Better Connecticut. In addition to her accomplishments in the museum field, she currently serves on the board of the Center for Leadership and Justice, and was a Woman in Business Honoree in 2021, awarded by the Hartford Business Journal.

Frank holds a Master of Arts in History and Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program at SUNY Oneonta, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

“The Museum has grown immensely over the past 10 years,” Sylvia Kelly, Board President of the Connecticut Museum, said. “Ilene Frank brings invaluable experience from the Museum field and a true passion for this organization to her work. I have no doubt that she will continue to build on past successes.”

A well-known landmark in Hartford’s West End, the Museum “brings the state’s culture and history into focus, sparking curiosity, deepening understanding, and strengthening connections that bring communities together across generations.”