For greater than three a long time Dr. Peter C. Keller served as president and chief government officer of the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. On Nov. 10 the museum introduced Keller’s passing and the tip of an period. Keller died on Nov. 8 on the age of 75.

“Along with his management and expertise, we have now introduced superb displays from all world wide to Orange County,” stated Anne Shih, chairwoman of the museum’s board of governors, in a press launch.

Keller joined the Bowers Museum in 1991 and in his time there oversaw two main constructing expansions. In October 1992 Bowers opened its doorways to a crowd of 17,000 folks in an area practically six occasions bigger than the unique city-run museum of 1936. In 2007, Keller oversaw the opening of the brand new Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing, which added 30,000 sq. toes of area for the East West Financial institution and Anderson-Hsu-Tu galleries and the 300-seat Norma Kershaw Auditorium.

Apart from enlargement, Keller targeting bringing superb artwork and tradition from world wide to the museum and Orange County as an entire.

Together with Shih, Keller cast partnerships with among the world’s biggest museums, together with the British Museum, the Palace Museums in Beijing and Taipei and the Museo del Oro in Bogotá, Colombia. The 2 colleagues traveled to China greater than 100 occasions within the final 25 years, and the partnerships they spearheaded led to greater than 50 exhibitions, like “Secrets and techniques of the Silk Street,” “Terra Cotta Warriors,” and “Mummies: Treasures from the British Museum.”

Bowers Museum President and CEO Peter Keller and Bowers Museum Chairwoman of the Board of Governors Anne Shih.

(Courtesy of the Bowers Museum)

Even on his remaining day, Keller was working to deliver world-class artwork to Bowers, getting ready for the opening of “Guo Pei: Artwork of Couture.” The present, extremely anticipated by Keller, consists of 40 works of couture artwork chosen by Chinese language designer Guo Pei.

“I couldn’t be extra thrilled to welcome again the world-famous couture designer, Guo Pei,” the late Keller stated in an announcement this fall. “In a completely new exhibition opening Nov. 12, ‘Guo Pei: Artwork of Couture’ will current collections hand-chosen by the icon herself.”

The present is now open and runs by means of Could 14.

Keller was born in Allentown, Penn. in 1947 and attended George Washington College the place he earned a bachelor of arts in geology. He earned his grasp of arts and PhD in geology from the College of Texas at Austin, the place he specialised within the geology of northern Mexico.

He put his experience to make use of because the director of training on the Gemological Institute of America and likewise served as curator of mineralogy and later affiliate director for public applications on the Pure Historical past Museum of Los Angeles earlier than coming to Bowers.

An avid traveler, there weren’t many locations Keller hadn’t been, however in 2022 he fulfilled a bucket-list journey when he travelled with Ed Roski and his spouse, Signe, to the South Pole.

Dr. Peter C. Keller, who led the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, has died at 75.

(Courtesy of the Bowers Museum)

In 2013, the Orange County Arts Council awarded Keller a Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award for lifetime achievement, and in 2021, the Bowers added his identify above an entrance to the museum to honor 30 years of his management.

Keller is survived by his spouse, kids and grandchildren and will likely be privately buried in his hometown. In lieu of flowers, the household requests that donations be made to the Bowers Museum. Donations will likely be used to develop his favourite everlasting assortment exhibition, “Spirits & Headhunters: Artwork of the Pacific Islands.”

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