Charles Saumarez Smith

Charles Saumarez Smith is an Honorary Professor at the School of History, Queen Mary University of London. He holds a distinguished career in art and museum leadership, previously serving as Director of the National Portrait Gallery (1994–2002), Director of the National Gallery (2002–2007), and Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts (2007–2018). He has authored multiple books on architectural history, museum studies, and East London history.

Education: He studied History and Art History at Cambridge University and completed a PhD at the Warburg Institute. His research focuses on late 17th-century architecture, museum history, and East London’s cultural heritage.

Publications include The Art Museum in Modern Times (2021), East London (2017), and The Building of Castle Howard (1990). He advises on museum and heritage projects and engages in public roles such as chairing the Royal Drawing School and serving on the Design Museum’s curatorial committee.

His work bridges academic research and practical museum leadership, emphasizing cultural institutions’ role in society. He currently maintains an active blog (www.charlesaumarezsmith.com/blog) and collaborates with art galleries like Blain|Southern.