For Dr. Halona Norton-Westbrook, the path to becoming director of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth was a beautifully curated journey rooted in her passion for art. “I have always had a love for art and creativity. It's how I see and understand the world,” she says.
From studying American History and Studio Art at Mills College to earning her M.A. at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and her Ph.D. in Museology from the University of Manchester, she has spent her career working toward this new role in Fort Worth. She was part of a fellowship at the Toledo Museum of Art, where she was trained to lead art museums through the Andrew W. Mellon Leadership Fellows program. After spending seven years in Toledo, she became the Director and CEO of the Honolulu Museum of Art in 2019. In 2025, Fort Worth became home.
The Modern is focused on the art of 1945 to the present, which is well aligned with the period of art I have focused on in my career," she says. "I feel like my career has really led me here."
The museum's roots stretch back to the late 19th century, making it the oldest art museum in Texas. Its collection, she says, is genuinely world-class. "Relative to the size of Fort Worth, the fact that we have three museums — The Modern, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and the Kimbell Art Museum — is a real credit to this community." She describes Fort Worth as warm, encouraging, and deeply invested in the arts in a way that feels both accessible and extraordinary.
Nearly a year into her new role, Halona is still deepening her appreciation for what she inherited. "The depth and quality of this collection stands shoulder to shoulder with any great contemporary art museum in the world," she says. The collection spans from 1945 to the present day, with around 2,500 works, though only a few hundred are on view at any given time. Changing that is part of her vision.
The current exhibition, Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers, engages art history, philosophy, and Black popular culture as frameworks for exploring the human psyche. Looking ahead, 2027 will be a landmark year for The Modern. The museum plans to dedicate programming to celebrating its permanent collection in a rotating, ever-evolving installation, giving visitors a reason to return again and again. The year also marks the 25th anniversary of the museum's architectural masterpiece, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
Beyond exhibitions, Halona is focused on deepening the museum's roots in the community by listening to what Fort Worth residents want to experience and introducing them to work they didn't know they needed. "We want to bring things that the community is not yet familiar with, but that surprise them and bring them joy," she says.
The Museum’s educational programs carry equal weight. From summer art camps to partnerships with Fort Worth ISD, she believes the museum has the power to be genuinely transformative. "You can't underestimate the power of these programs," she says. "We have a great platform for education."
The vision for The Modern is as much about people as it is about art."We are just the stewards of this museum for now," she says. "It will go on for 100 more years after us. We want to make thoughtful, intentional decisions that leave a gift for the future."
To plan your next visit or learn more about the Modern Art Museum, visit themodern.org.