Historic Deerfield Names Linnea Grim as Next President

DEERFIELD, MA (10/27/2026) (readMedia)-- [DEERFIELD, Mass.] – Historic Deerfield's Board of Trustees announced today that Linnea Grim will become the museum's next President & CEO, beginning in April, 2027. In succeeding John Davis, who retired this fall, Grim will become the fifth person, and first woman, to lead the organization since Henry and Helen Flynt founded the museum in 1952.

Grim currently serves as President and CEO of Strawbery Banke Museum, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. During her roughly four-year tenure, the museum increased both its operating budget and its endowment by more than fifty percent. She also led the fundraising team to secure more than $5 million for special projects.

"I am delighted to welcome Linnea Grim to Historic Deerfield," said Joseph Gromacki, Chair of the Historic Deerfield Board of Trustees. "She brings a strong record of strengthening institutions, deepening community relationships, and telling important stories with authenticity, honesty, and care. I am incredibly excited for the energy and strategic vision she will bring, and we are grateful to have a strong foundation to continue building upon. The next chapter promises to be a bright one under Linnea's leadership."

At Strawbery Banke, Grim worked to highlight the area's multifaceted community, both historic and present. During her tenure, the museum became the host site for the New England BIPOC Fest. She is especially proud of the work the team did to open the Cousins Family exhibit this past April. Through the experiences of one Black family who lived in the space during the late 1930s and early 1940s, visitors encounter broader national stories of migration, opportunity, and discrimination that shaped Black life in New England.

Before joining Strawbery Banke in 2023, Grim spent 16 years at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home and plantation, where she served as Manager of Interpretive Programs and Hunter J. Smith Director of Education & Visitor Programs before joining the executive team in 2021 as Vice President of Guest Experiences.

"I am honored to join Historic Deerfield as its next President & CEO," said Grim. "This is an institution with a remarkable legacy and a deep connection to its surroundings, and I'm excited to be part of its future, particularly as Historic Deerfield celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2027. I look forward to working alongside the staff to share compelling stories and find new ways to welcome even more visitors in the years ahead."

Grim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from The College of William and Mary, and a Master's degree in history museum studies from The Cooperstown Graduate Program. She and her husband, Eli, have two children. Her photo is available here.

Grim will start at Historic Deerfield in April of 2027. Until then, Vice President of Development and Communications Jesse Vanek will serve as Historic Deerfield's Acting President.

To learn more about Historic Deerfield, visit historic-deerfield.org.

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About Historic Deerfield. Historic Deerfield is a mile-long museum of history, art, and architecture, situated in a beautifully preserved 18th-century New England village in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. Its historic houses and world-famous collection of early American decorative arts open doors to new perspectives that inspire people to seek a deeper understanding of themselves, their communities, and the world. Visitors are invited to stay at Historic Deerfield's historic inn, have a meal at its restaurant & pub, and shop for books and souvenirs at its museum store.