Statement on the passing of former Walters Art Museum director Julia Alexander

It is with great sadness that the Walters Art Museum shares the news that Dr. Julia Alexander, our previous director, passed away Sunday, May 4, 2025 from a heart attack at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

The family has asked the Walters to share the following statement on their behalf:

With deep sorrow, we share the news of the untimely passing of Dr. Julia Alexander, who died of a heart attack at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center on Sunday, May 4, 2025.

Julia was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1967, and grew up in Claremont, California. She attended Wellesley College, where she studied art history and French, and from which she graduated magna cum laude in 1989. She then attended New York University, where she earned a master’s degree in French literature in 1992, followed by Yale University, where she earned a master’s degree (1993) and completed her PhD in art history in 1999.

Julia’s career was one of remarkable success. In 1996 she joined the Yale Center for British Art at Yale University, first as curator of paintings and sculpture and then as the museum’s associate director of programmatic affairs and associate director for exhibitions and publications. In 2008, Julia joined the San Diego Museum of Art as deputy director for curatorial affairs. After five years in San Diego, Julia came to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore in 2013, serving as the museum’s fifth director and the first woman to hold the position. In 2024, Julia became the President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in New York City.

Julia leaves behind her two children, Jack and Beatrice (Bede), mother Catharine Alexander, former husband Dr. John Marciari, and sister Kitty Alexander Shirley. The family asks for privacy and space during this time; information about services are forthcoming.

Statement from Kate Burgin, Andrea B. and John H. Laporte Director and CEO:

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Julia Alexander, whose influence on this organization, and on all of us, is both lasting and significant. One of her most important contributions to the Walters was shifting the museum’s focus toward creating greater and more meaningful engagement with our local community—a visionary decision to center our work on Baltimore and Maryland. Her leadership created a model of profound local impact, supported by the museum’s global reach. More personally, Julia was both a mentor and a friend. As we carry her legacy forward, we do so with deep gratitude for the foundation she built and the encouragement she gave all of us to do our best for the Walters and this community.

Statement from Peter Bain, President of the Board of Trustees:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Walters Art Museum, I would like to extend our condolences to Julia Alexander’s family at her sudden and very untimely passing. For more than a decade, Julia led the museum with unwavering courage, deep integrity, and a profound commitment to both the institution and the broader community. Her leadership not only strengthened the museum’s foundation but also deepened its relevance and connection to the many audiences it serves. For many of us, Julia was more than a colleague—she was a friend. She shared her deep love of art generously, along with a steadfast belief in its transformative power to bring people together. She will be dearly missed.