National Museum of Asian Art Appoints New Leadership To Guide Provenance Research and Global Affairs

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art has announced the appointment of Nancy Karrels as the associate director of provenance and object histories and Negin Sobhani as the associate director for global affairs. With these newly established leadership positions, the museum is transforming its research capabilities and global engagement, further aligning with its mission to foster a deeper understanding of Asian art and cultural heritage. This strategic shift strengthens its role in responsible museum practice and cultural diplomacy, reinforcing a commitment to advancing provenance research, transparency and exchange of international knowledge.

As associate director of provenance and object histories, Karrels will set the strategic direction for the museum’s expanded Department of Provenance Research and Object Histories, enhancing research efforts and increasing the number of staff engaged in collection histories. As associate director of global affairs, Sobhani will oversee the museum’s international partnerships, fostering collaborations with institutions and governmental organizations across Asia, the Middle East and North Africa to broaden its global impact. Both appointments took effect April 7.

“The addition of key leadership in provenance research and global affairs marks a significant step in the museum’s evolution into an institution defined by transparency and cooperation,” said Chase F. Robinson, director of the National Museum of Asian Art. “Guided by the belief that the future of museums lies in collaboration, not accumulation, we are strengthening our approach to the study of our collection, broadening our research efforts and fostering partnerships that promote knowledge-sharing and capacity-building among institutions and governments internationally. These roles will be essential in ensuring that our museum is not only a steward for history, but also an active participant in shaping a more ethical and interconnected future for the field.”

Associate Director of Provenance Research and Object Histories

As part of its mission to serve as a global resource for the understanding of the arts of Asia, the National Museum of Asian Art is committed to advancing its capacity in provenance research, both internally and in the field at large, ensuring transparency in museum practices and fostering international collaboration among peer institutions. Since the early 2000s, the museum has prioritized provenance research, refining methodologies, expanding scholarship and making its research findings publicly accessible through its Provenance Program. In 2011, it began publishing provenance information on object webpages, reinforcing its commitment to increasing transparency and accessibility.

Building on this foundation, the museum has significantly expanded its provenance research in recent years. Since 2020, it has hosted six webinars attended by 2,556 specialists worldwide, fostering knowledge exchange and advancing standardized approaches to provenance research. In 2023, the museum launched its first-ever symposium on the provenance of Asian art, bringing together experts to discuss best practices and emerging research. That same year, the museum hosted a symposium focused on the real-world impact of provenance research, centered on the ongoing efforts of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to identify and reclaim its cultural heritage. Most recently, in January 2025, the museum renewed its partnership with Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin, further expanding its collaborative research efforts and establishing new benchmarks in the field. The museum has brought this research to the forefront of their shows, integrating object histories directly into exhibitions. Comparatively among museums of its scale, the National Museum of Asian Art employs a robust provenance research program and is rapidly establishing itself as a global leader in advancing the understanding of Asian provenance histories.

Karrels, a recognized expert in art spoliation, provenance research and restitution, has worked on provenance initiatives at institutions including the Krannert Art Museum and the Canadian Art Museum Directors’ Organization, contributing to the field through research, exhibitions, publications, policy development and institutional best practices. Her publications include Provenance: A Forensic History of Art (Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, 2017), “Renewing Nazi-Era Provenance Research Efforts: Case Studies and Recommendations” in Curating Art (Routledge, 2021) and “Revealing the Concealed: Exhibiting Provenance Practice” in Collecting and Provenance: International and Multidisciplinary Contexts (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). She holds a doctorate in art history from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from McGill University Law School.

As associate director of provenance and object histories, Karrels will oversee the strategic direction, development and management of the museum’s Provenance activities furthering its commitment to transparency, ethical stewardship and scholarly collaboration. Reporting to the deputy director for collections and exhibitions, she will lead efforts to advance provenance research, strengthen institutional partnerships and facilitate knowledge exchange through national and international collaborations, training programs and scholarly initiatives.

“I am honored to join the exceptional team at the National Museum of Asian Art, a leader in provenance research that is setting new standards for transparency and collaboration in the field,” Karrels said. “I look forward to contributing my experience to advance the museum’s research and education initiatives and to supporting the vital work of promoting ethical collecting practices on a global scale.”

Associate Director for Global Affairs

The National Museum of Asian Art has engaged with cultural and government stakeholders internationally since its founding, with early partnerships dating back to China in the 1920s. The museum worked with Chinese scholars and institutions, including Academia Sinica, to support the landmark excavations at Anyang, the capital of China’s Shang dynasty. The museum’s track record of global partnership has continued for over a century, shaping its approach to cross-border collaboration, exchange of knowledge and cultural diplomacy.

Building on this historical legacy, the museum has significantly expanded its global partnerships in the past five years, advancing international collaboration through formal agreements, joint research projects and training initiatives. In 2021, it initiated an international research project supported by the Carnegie Corporation to address threats to cultural heritage in times of crisis. In February 2023, the museum established a historic partnership with the Republic of Yemen Government to care for repatriated objects from the Department of Homeland Investigations, reinforcing its role in supporting nations reclaiming their cultural heritage. In October and November 2023, the museum formalized memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia, strengthening cooperation in provenance research, conservation, museum management and efforts to counter illicit trafficking. Additionally, announced in July 2024, a major grant from the National Museum of Korea is supporting conservation training programs and international staff exchanges, strengthening collaboration in research and preservation. The museum has additional precedent-setting MOUs in Japan with the National Museum of Tokyo, Tokyo University of the Arts and the National Institute of Japanese Literature, and in China with the Palace Museum in Beijing and Shandong University. The museum is a core partner of Smithsonian-wide MOUs with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea and the Qatar Foundation and Qatar Museums. These initiatives support capacity building and cultural exchange across all areas of museum operations, ensuring that expertise in conservation, curatorial practice and ethical stewardship is shared globally.

An experienced leader in global engagement, scientific diplomacy and program development, Sobhani has worked domestically and internationally with institutions such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Aramco; the Qatar Foundation; and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, contributing to cross-border collaboration and cultural exchanges. She has been instrumental in fostering partnerships between international universities and emerging academic institutions in the Middle East, positioning them as regional powerhouses in research and innovation. Among her most notable achievements, she spearheaded the development of a series of high-impact Nobel Prize Summits, convening some of the world’s leading minds to address critical global challenges. Sobhani holds a Master of Arts in international studies from the University of Denver.

As associate director for global affairs, Sobhani will lead the museum’s efforts to expand its international strategy, strengthen partnerships and enhance cultural diplomacy. Collaborating with museum leadership, Smithsonian colleagues, government agencies, cultural institutions and academic organizations, she will support joint research, facilitate knowledge exchange and raise the museum’s global profile.

“I am thrilled to serve as the National Museum of Asian Art’s first associate director for global affairs,” Sobhani said. “Through its talented staff and unrivaled collections, the museum plays as a vital role in cultural diplomacy, fostering meaningful collaborations and partnerships that elevate the visibility, research and public engagement with Asian art worldwide. On a personal note, I have been coming to the museum for nearly 20 years, experiencing firsthand how its programs—from Lunar New Year and Nowruz celebrations to film festivals and exhibitions—connect audiences of all backgrounds to the rich artistic and cultural traditions of Asia.”

About Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching and interpreting art in ways that deepen the public and scholarly understandings of Asia and the world. NMAA opened in 1923 as America’s first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. The museum now stewards one of the world’s most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present, from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the pre-Islamic Near East and the Islamic world (inclusive of Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa). The museum also stewards an important collection of 19th- and early 20th-century American art.

Today, NMAA is emerging as a leading national and global resource for understanding the arts, cultures and societies of Asia, especially at their intersection with America. Guided by the belief that the future of art museums lies in collaboration, increased access and transparency, NMAA is fostering new ways to engage with its audiences while maintaining its commitment to excellence.

Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the museum is free and open 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25). The Smithsonian, which is the world’s largest museum education and research complex, welcomes 20–30 million visitors yearly. For more information about the National Museum of Asian Art, visit asia.si.edu.

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