Meg Hutchins assumes the position from Jane Beckwith,
who was honored recently with the 2026 AASLH Award of Excellence.
DELTA, Utah — The Topaz Museum board of directors has named Meg Hutchins as its new executive director. Hutchins begins her new duties this month.
Meg Hutchins (Photo: meghutchins.com)
Hutchins brings more than a decade of museum leadership experience and most recently served with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. Throughout her career, she has worked to strengthen museum operations, support collections stewardship and expand community engagement.
“I am honored to join the Topaz Museum and help advance its important mission,” said Hutchins. “I look forward to working with survivors, descendants, supporters and community partners to preserve and share the vital history of Topaz for future generations.”
The search for an executive director began in 2024 when founding director Jane Beckwith announced her desire to retire. “It’s been a long process. No one can replace Jane. But in hiring Meg, we have found someone who has dealt with museum work on the state level and who also has experience in running a small museum. We are delighted to have Meg join us,” said Dianne Fukami, co-chair of the Topaz Museum board.
Exterior of the Topaz Museum
Added Chris Hirano, co-chair of the board: “Meg brings extensive experience connecting history to the issues that shape our nation today, and her leadership comes at an exciting moment for the museum. As we continue to preserve and share the lessons of the Topaz incarceration experience, Meg will help expand our reach and relevance by engaging broader conversations and strengthening the museum’s role as a national voice in preventing the repetition of past mistakes.”
In addition, Beckwith was named recently as the recipient of the 2026 Award of Excellence for Individual Lifetime Achievement from the American Association for State and Local History.
AASLH, a national nonprofit organization, provides leadership and resources to help the history community thrive and make the past more meaningful for all people.
Beckwith has volunteered for more than four decades to educate people about the World War II story of the Topaz concentration camp. During this time, she led the effort to open, build and sustain the 8,000-square-foot Topaz Museum in 2017 and purchase the Topaz site.
She will receive her award at the annual AASLH conference, being held jointly with the National Council on Public History, on Sept. 18 in Providence, R.I.