Thomas P. Campbell is the director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. From 2009–17, he was director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Sale of the centuries: works deaccessioned by the Brooklyn Museum (left) and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery since the relaxation of AAMD guidelines.

American museums should not be selling their art to keep the lights on

Deaccessioning rules for US museums have been relaxed to raise money for collection care – and even the Met may take advantage. It’s a slippery slope, says Thomas P. Campbell

19 Feb 2021