Old Lyme -- The Florence Griswold Museum has hired a new executive director: Joshua Campbell Torrance, who is currently executive director of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum in Wethersfield.

Torrance has more than two decades of experience as a museum executive director, including at the Bennington Museum in Vermont, and the Woodlawn Museum, Gardens & Park in Ellsworth, Maine.

He starts work in Old Lyme on Feb. 6.

“This was just an opportunity at the Florence Griswold that I’ve long been interested in and never in a million years thought it was going to come up, and it did. And I’m absolutely thrilled,” Torrance said in an interview on Thursday.

Torrance succeeds Rebekah Beaulieu, who left the museum in August after four years to become the president and CEO of the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, Ohio. Beaulieu had taken over after Jeff Andersen retired; he had led the museum for four decades.

“Success builds on success, and the Florence Griswold Museum has a proven track record of engaging exhibits, fantastic and engaging programming, and an outstanding reputation,” Torrance said. “I think when you’re the director, sometimes you get opportunities where you think you can make big change and where you have to change the dynamics. I think at the Florence Griswold, I’ll be able to bring some of my ideas and passion, but it’s really exciting to know that it’s not a turnaround, it’s not a fix. It’s building on the incredible success that the Florence Griswold has already had.”

He said that, as with heading into any new situation, he will focus on listening, learning and leading. He noted that the museum already has a “very well-thought-out, comprehensive strategic plan” in place that he thinks is a “fantastic road map.”

The strategic plan includes such goals as engaging a wider audience; celebrating identity; planning for the future; embracing friends and neighbors; and perfecting the museum experience.

The FloGris selected Torrance after a nationwide search led by the recruitment firm Museum Search & Reference.

Deborah Moore, chair of the museum’s Board of Trustees, said in a statement, “On behalf of the board and staff, we are delighted to welcome Joshua. His commitment to community-centered projects aligns perfectly with our strategic plan.”

Kay Knight Clarke, who is chair of the museum’s search committee, said, "Joshua understands what the FloGris needs to do to achieve its plans and has the tools to lead us there."

A love of history and art

Torrance, 49, grew up in New Jersey, about an hour outside of New York City. Discussing his interest in history and art, he said he has fond memories of his parents taking him to every major museum in the city and to some of the great Revolutionary historic sites in New Jersey.

Torrance earned his bachelor of arts in history from Elmira College in New York. He has two masters degrees, one a Master of Arts in history with a public history concentration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in history museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program.

As a student in Cooperstown, he recognized how the lines between history and art blur; really good art museums understand and appreciate where an artwork came from and the context that history can provide, he said.

Torrance has been aware of — and impressed by — the Florence Griswold Museum dating back to his days at Cooperstown; Andersen, who was director of FloGris at the time, is also a graduate of the program. Andersen was able to think anew how to use the historic Griswold house and make the connection with the Lyme Artists Colony, Torrance noted.

“So the Florence Griswold Museum was a case study I’ve been following for a long time, first as a student and then in my career.” Torrance says.

Torrance’s work history includes leading the Woodlawn Museum, Gardens & Park in Ellsworth, Maine, for almost 20 years, transforming the all-volunteer historic house and 180-acre public park into a community-centered institution.

From Jan. 2020 to Nov. 2020, Torrance was executive director of the Bennington Museum in Vermont. He said that is a great museum, but he took the Webb Deane Stevens job when it became clear his wife needed to be closer to her employment; she works for Jackson Laboratory, which has a facility in Farmington.

During his time at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum, which features three historic 18th-century houses, Torrance oversaw the opening of the site’s 9,300-square-foot education and visitor center, increased contributed income, managed the rebranding of the museum, and deepened its connection to the greater Hartford region.

“Any time you make a move, it’s also bittersweet because I have such a great team at Webb Deane Stevens, and Webb Deane Stevens is a fantastic museum that’s got all the ingredients in place for continued growth and success. … It’s just an absolute gem here in Old Wethersfield,” he said.

He said that, at the FloGris, he feels as if he has big combined shoes to fill, following Andersen and Beaulieu.

Torrance said that, even though he comes from a historic house background, he has a keen interest in American material culture and specifically American art.

Discussing working at the Florence Griswold Museum, he said, “What a wonderful opportunity to explore the intersection of art, history and nature in an absolutely stunning setting. It’s just a wonderful place.”

k.dorsey@theday.com