MoMA Architecture Head Goes Back to School

Barry Bergdoll, the Museum of Modern Art's Chief Curator of Architecture and Design, has announced he is leaving the museum to take up a post at Columbia University. Over six years he curated a number of popular, and critically praised, exhibitions.

1 minute read

August 1, 2013, 1:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"Barry Bergdoll has decided to step down from his post as Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in September to assume the Meyer Schapiro Chair of Art History and Archeology in Columbia University’s School of the Arts and Sciences," reports Suzanne Stephens. "Bergdoll can take credit for raising the profile of the architecture and design department, with featured exhibitions such as the Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops for Modernity show in 2009, and such socially conscious investigations as Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling (2008), Rising Currents: Projects for New York’s Waterfront (2010), and Foreclosed: Rehousing the American Dream (2012), which he curated with Reinhold Martin."

Writing in The Architect's Newspaper, Alan G. Brake observes that "Bergdoll’s tenure as chair has been marked both by a deepening of the historical and scholarly quality of the exhibitions and programming as well as greater engagement with social issues, such as affordable housing and climate change."

Stephens notes that Bergdoll will "stay on as a part-time curator [at MoMA] while he continues work on the Latin America show planned for 2015."

Wednesday, July 31, 2013 in Architectural Record

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

April 3, 2025 - KERA News

Blue and white Seattle Link light rail train exiting concrete Downtown Bellevue Tunnel in Bellevue, WA.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

April 7, 2025 - Todd Litman

Amtrak Acela

How to Make US Trains Faster

Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.

April 11 - Bloomberg CityLab

Mural showing tools and craft supplies with banner reading 'Things are made here' in front of makerspace in Columbia, Missouri.

Columbia’s Revitalized ‘Loop’ Is a Hub for Local Entrepreneurs

A focus on small businesses is helping a commercial corridor in Columbia, Missouri thrive.

April 11 - Next City

Close-up of wood log with emerald ash borer larvae tracks etched in the wood.

Invasive Insect Threatens Minnesota’s Ash Forests

The Emerald Ash Borer is a rapidly spreading invasive pest threatening Minnesota’s ash trees, and homeowners are encouraged to plant diverse replacement species, avoid moving ash firewood, and monitor for signs of infestation.

April 11 - The Bemidji Pioneer