Dan Finamore ’83

Overview

Deputy Chief Curator & Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art & History, Peabody Essex Museum
Salem, MA

• BA, Anthropology, Vassar College
• MA, Archaeology, Boston University
• PhD, Archaeology, Boston University

Dan Finamore (he/him) has organized more than 15 exhibitions of paintings, decorative arts, and archaeological materials at the Peabody Essex Museum. Several of his shows have traveled to museums around the U.S. and the UK. He has received grants for his research and exhibition projects from many funders, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Recently, Finamore served as curator for In American Waters: The Sea in American Painting and Ocean Liners: Glamour, Speed, and Style. He has conducted extensive archaeological field research in Belize and elsewhere. He has written more than 40 articles and chapters for academic and popular publications, and is the author and/or editor of six books, including Capturing Poseidon: Photographic Encounters with the Sea, Maritime History as World History, and Fiery Pool: The Maya and the Mythic Sea. As a manager, Finamore participates in leading a cohort of curators to advance his museum’s exhibition and collection goals.

Advice to Students: 

Be open to exploring opportunities presented to you. Get your foot in the door, even if it isn’t with the ultimate dream position. Show a willingness to be helpful. Present solutions and not just problems. And remember that no one teaches you how to be personable—you’ve got to practice and learn that yourself.