Strawbery Banke Museum Announces Leadership Transition—Linnea Grim to lead Historic Deerfield in spring 2027

PORTSMOUTH - Strawbery Banke Museum’s Board of Trustees announced that Linnea Grim, president & CEO, Thomas W. Haas Chair, will depart in March 2027 to become president & CEO of Historic Deerfield in Massachusetts. The Board will soon begin a national search for her successor. 

During Grim’s nearly four-year tenure, the Museum's operating budget and endowment grew by more than 50 percent. She also led the fundraising efforts that secured more than $5 million for targeted  projects. The Museum expanded special event programming, became the host site for the New England BIPOC Festival, and celebrated the nation's 250th anniversary with a successful gala honoring Martha Fuller Clark.

“During her time at Strawbery Banke, Linnea has brought new energy to the Museum, said Katherine Williams Kane, chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are grateful for her contributions and wish her much happiness and success in her next leadership role.”

Grim cited the collective effort to open the Cousins Family exhibit in April 2026 as a particular source of pride. Through the experiences of a Black family who lived in the home during the late 1930s and early 1940s, visitors explore broader stories of migration, opportunity, and discrimination that shaped Black life in New England. 

“While I’ve made this decision for family and career opportunities, Strawbery Banke is a national gem,” said Grim. “I’m immensely proud of the work we’ve done these past four years. It’s been an honor to steward the Museum for this time, and I know it has a tremendous future ahead of it.”

Museum staff have begun planning for Strawbery Banke’s 70th anniversary in 2028, including a new exhibit in the Yeaton-Welch House exploring Irish immigration to the Puddle Dock neighborhood. The Museum also continues its work to protect its historic buildings from the damaging effects of climate change, with projects planned to address stormwater and rising groundwater. 

Grim will continue to lead the Museum through the coming months, including its holiday and winter programming. 

“I look forward to celebrating the season with our local community at Candlelight Stroll and skating at Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond before my departure in the spring,” she continued. 

Strawbery Banke’s Board of Trustees will soon begin a national search for Grim’s successor. Grim will continue in her role until March 2027, working with the Board and staff to prepare for the leadership transition.

About Strawbery Banke Museum:
Strawbery Banke Museum, New Hampshire’s first Smithsonian Affiliate, is a 10-acre outdoor history museum located in the heart of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Museum preserves more than 30 historic buildings on their original sites and shares the stories of the individuals and families who lived and worked in the Puddle Dock neighborhood from the 17th century to the present. Through historic houses, heirloom gardens, exhibitions, traditional crafts, and educational programs, Strawbery Banke connects people with the stories that shaped the nation. Learn more at StrawberyBanke.org.