The Smithsonian has announced the appointment of Tricia Edwards as director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, effective Monday, April 20. Edwards has served as interim director since September 2025.
“Tricia brings deep institutional knowledge and a lifelong commitment to education and public service,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. “Her breadth of experience across the Smithsonian and her dedicated leadership over the years make her exceptionally well suited to lead Smithsonian Libraries and Archives into its next chapter.”
“It is a privilege to lead Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and to work alongside the staff who care for these collections and make them accessible,” Edwards said. “This work plays an essential role in preserving our history and supporting research across the Institution. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue it.”
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives encompasses 20 library branches and reading rooms, and it is responsible for nearly 3 million library volumes and more than 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials that document the history of the Smithsonian and support research across the Institution.
Prior to joining Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Edwards served as deputy director of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian Affiliations (SITES | SA), where she provided executive leadership for strategic planning, development and operations. From June 2024 to June 2025, she also served as interim director of SITES | SA. Earlier roles included deputy director for Smithsonian Affiliations and interim deputy director for exhibits, finance and administration at SITES.
Earlier in her Smithsonian career, Edwards spent 12 years as head of education at the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the National Museum of American History. During that time, she created Spark!Lab, a pioneering hands-on invention space for children that now operates in museums across the United States and internationally, and launched an award‑winning consumer product line under the Spark!Lab brand.
Before coming to the Smithsonian, Edwards directed education programs at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the Delaware Museum of Natural History (now the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science). She began her career as a preschool teacher, establishing a foundation for a career centered on learning, curiosity and public engagement.
About Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is the Smithsonian’s central library and archival system, supporting the research, exhibitions and scholarship of the Institution. SLA comprises 20 library branches and reading rooms serving Smithsonian museums, research centers and the public.