Don Bacigalupi

Don Bacigalupi is a curator specializing in contemporary art and popular culture and a museum administrator. Bacigalupi helped to set the direction for two American museums early in their history: The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.

Bacigalupi studied at the University of Houston where he earned a bachelor's degree. He earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Texas, Austin.

From 1999 to 2003, Bacigalupi served as executive director of the San Diego Museum of Art. Executive by Duane Hanson, and Chandelier Campiello del Remer #2 by Dale Chihuly. He also spearheaded the development of the Glass Pavilion that opened in 2006.

In August 2009, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art named Bacigalupi as director, two years prior to its opening in November 2011. John Wilmerding said of the appointment, “It’s an opportunity for it [the museum] to be perceived not as a curiosity in the hinterlands, but as a major American art museum.” which presented work by around 100 contemporary American artists. In August of 2014, Bacigalupi gave a TEDx talk describing the process of putting the exhibition together.

When Bacigalupi left Crystal Bridges, founder and board chair Alice Walton said of him "“Don’s achievements at Crystal Bridges have been numerous, and many of our successes are attributable to his guidance leading up to the opening of the museum and continuing into our highly successful next three years. He came on board when the museum was in its early stages, guiding our direction through the building phase and helping to shape the development and exhibition of our art collection." Worth magazine wrote "Don Bacigalupi is arguably America’s most innovative museum director, and he’s become a trusted partner to some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals when they want to create public art institutions." Worth described Bacigalupi as "a carefully-dressed academic who naturally speaks in paragraphs, [and] has become adept at working with exacting collectors and benefactors." Bacigaluci said of the acquisition "This will be one of the anchor works of our museum, which we’re delighted to share with the public." George Lucas said of Bacigalupi "Don was essential in helping to formalize our vision and in laying the important groundwork that has brought us to this point. We would not have been able to break ground in Los Angeles without him."

Personal life As of July 2020, Bacigalupi lives with his husband graphic artist Dan Feder and their teenage son in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. They have lived in that neighborhood since their move from Chicago in 2018. Additionally, the couple have a weekend home in Palm Springs.

In September of 2024, Bacigalupi and Dan Feder were mentioned in Variety's list of sponsors of the Best In Drag Show.

Publications Synesthesia : Sound and Vision in Contemporary Art Continental Discourse : Art of Mexico and the United States Today Transcending Limits : Moving Beyond Mainstream and Margin Michael Ray Charles: An American Artist's Work, 1989-1997 Celebrating the American Spirit : Masterworks from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, Exhibition Catalog, 2014.