Seattle Art Museum's Chiyo Ishikawa will step down

Chiyo Ishikawa has organized some blockbuster shows during her 30 years at Seattle Art Museum; from a rare showing of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester, to an exhibition from the Picasso Museum in Paris.

Now the museums’ chief curator says it’s time to pass the baton to the next generation.

Ishikawa first came to SAM as a part-time European art curator, just as the museum’s new downtown building was set to open. She was promoted to her current position as SAM’s deputy director in 2005.

During her tenure the museum opened the Olympic Sculpture Park on Elliott Bay, as well as a new wing in the downtown flagship building. Most recently, Ishikawa oversaw the grand reopening of SAM’s Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park.

Ishikawa will leave her job this summer; museum officials plan to launch an immediate search to replace her.