Caroline Baumann has been named director of Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York, effective June 16.
Since joining Cooper-Hewitt in 2001, she has held many leadership positions at the museum, most recently as acting director.
Baumann will oversee the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design.
In this role, she will strengthen Cooper-Hewitt's reputation to educate, inspire and empower people through design and oversee the renovation of the museum and the reinstallation of its galleries, which are set to reopen in fall 2014.
"Caroline is passionate about design and reaching people-physically and digitally-with its lessons and insights," commented Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough.
"She has been key in the museum's growing success over the years and has been especially adept at forming substantive partnerships in New York, in Washington, across the nation and, indeed, around the world."