The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will soon be in the hands of a new president.
Regina Faden
Regina Faden, formerly executive director of Historic St. Mary's City in Maryland, will take over the position, the museum announced in a press release. She succeeds Orlando Carvalho, who had served as interim president since April 2022.
The announcement comes almost a full month after the museum’s groundbreaking ceremony on the Jane and John Justin Omni Theater. The $22 million renovation is anticipated to be open by fall 2024 and will feature a state-of-the-art 8K LED Digital Dome, a first of its kind inside of any museum. In addition, the museum is expanding its educational programs and preparing to unveil a new aviation exhibit, “Cowtown Takes Flight,” this summer. This exhibit will highlight Fort Worth’s significant contributions in the field of aviation.
“We are delighted to welcome Regina as our new president,” says museum board chair Marianne Auld. “Her extensive knowledge and experience will continue to move our Museum forward as we bring on line the new Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater and introduce new exhibits, programs, and museum offerings. We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Orlando Carvalho for his dedicated leadership as our interim President over the past 16 months.”
Faden joins the museum after serving as the executive director of Historic St. Mary’s City, where she led research and interpretation. Over the course of her 15-year tenure at HSMC, Regina strategically managed 835 acres of land, 100 structures, and a range of exhibits and archeological sites spanning 10,000 BC to the 20th Century.
Faden serves as a peer reviewer for American Alliance of Museums and a grant reviewer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. She has taught courses in museum studies, literature, and American history and has published extensively on the subject of museology and race.
“I love the people I work with, so it’ll be hard not to see them every day, and I’ll miss them and I wish them all well and I hope I’ve helped them develop their skills,” Faden told the Southern Maryland News in March. “I think there’s unfinished business in that way, but I feel I’ve done a very good job there. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I’ll miss all the wonderful people I spent my time with, but everything changes.”