Dawn Hammatt appointed as new Director of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – A new director has been appointed for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

Her name is Dawn Hammatt and she is currently serving as the Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum.

Hammatt’s appointment will become effective December 31, 2023.

The former director Warren Finch retired last year and Dr. Robert Holzweiss has been serving as acting director since.

The following is a news release shared Tuesday by the National Archives:

Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan today announced the appointment of Dawn Hammatt as the new Director of the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, TX, effective December 31.

In making the announcement, Shogan said, “Ms. Hammatt’s extensive leadership experience at museums and libraries nationwide, including six years leading the Eisenhower Presidential Library, will be a tremendous asset for the George Bush Library and the National Archives’ Presidential Library system.”

Hammatt was named Director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, KS, in May 2017, and has led the library through a multimillion dollar museum renovation, restoration of the Boyhood Home, and planning for campus-wide improvements. She also served as Acting Director at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in 2022–23 during a leadership transition. Hammatt’s experience leading museums, managing historic collections, and overseeing educational programming will bolster the George Bush Library at a critical time as it prepares for the opening of an adjacent event facility set for June 2024.

“The George and Barbara Bush Foundation is thrilled to welcome Dawn Hammatt as Director at the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M,” said Hap Ellis, president of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation. “Her extensive experience in museum planning, knowledge of the Presidential Library system, and commitment to civics education make her a great partner for the Foundation in our collaborative work with NARA, with other presidential libraries, and with the A&M community.”

Hammatt has served in museums for her entire career. In South Carolina, she was managing director for a local history museum and on the governing board for the South Carolina Archival Association. In New Orleans, she was the Director of Curatorial Services for the Louisiana State Museum, a statewide system of nine museums. There, she oversaw the exhibits, collections management, curatorial, and education departments for the state.

She joined the National Archives in 2017 from the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience in Meridian, MS, where she managed the design and fabrication of a new 22,000-square-foot exhibition. She has also been active in the Southeastern Museums Conference.

Hammatt holds a bachelor of arts degree from Louisiana State University, a master of liberal studies with museum emphasis from the University of Oklahoma, and a certificate in nonprofit administration from the University of Montana.

Hammatt will continue to serve as Acting Director at the Eisenhower Library until a new Director is appointed.

The George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is one of 15 libraries in the Presidential Library system administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The Presidential Libraries house the records of Presidents Herbert Hoover through Donald Trump and preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire.