El Paso, TX

Founding Director

The Children’s Museum & Science Center in El Paso, Texas (permanent name announced early Summer 2021) seeks a dynamic, accomplished Founding Director to set the strategy for opening and operating a brand new, world-class, STEAM-focused, bicultural destination designed to inspire visitors to dream, act and contribute. As part of the search process, we are reaching out for suggestions and nominations.

Construction has begun, and local enthusiasm and support is palpable. Opening Fall 2022, the hybrid children’s museum/science center it is designed to spark imagination, curiosity, creativity and critical thinking through interactive exhibits, programming and special events. Design firm Gyroscope  designed nine age-appropriate zones that will allow for layered programming, including a shared exhibit with La Rodadora, the children’s museum in El Paso’s sister city of Juárez, allowing youth at both museums to interact in real time.  Internationally renowned architectural firm, Snøhetta, was selected to design the four-story, 70,000 square foot building in the heart of the Arts District, a destination for more than 1.5M local, national and international visitors annually. The Arts District is home to the El Paso Museum of Art, the Museum of History, the nation’s only bilingual Holocaust museum, performing arts venues, stadiums, a convention center, public art, festivals, green spaces, restaurants, hotels, artist lofts and more.

The Director will embrace the vision and intent of the Museum and want to integrate into a vibrant, bi-cultural, welcoming community. With a population of more than 700,000 (ranked 19th nationally), El Paso is progressive and dynamic and has been rated as one of the safest large cities in the U.S. for more than ten consecutive years. Situated on the Rio Grande across the international border from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, El Pasoans and their neighbors in Juárez considers themselves one community, united in culture, family, and commerce. With a combined population of over 2.6M, the aptly named “Borderplex” (El Paso, Juárez, and Southern New Mexico) is the largest bilingual, bi-national workforce in the Western Hemisphere, and is the world’s largest international border community. A thriving international city that plays a key role in world trade, manufacturing and logistics, El Paso serves as a regional center to six universities, three medical schools, and four technology incubators. In the past ten years El Paso has seen $2 billion in capital investments made in life sciences, education, research and commerce.

We appreciate you sharing the position description with your network, and also any nominations you might have.

For additional information or to apply, please contact Lisa Grossman or Oscar Quiros at info[at]moppenheim[dot]com.