MIAMI BEACH, FLA.- The Wolfsonian–Florida International University has appointed Danielle Charlap as curator, working alongside chief curator Silvia Barisione. Charlap comes to FIU after holding positions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, where she was associate curator.

“Danielle’s appointment marks an exciting moment for The Wolfsonian. Her research on postwar design, craft, and museum practices resonates deeply with our mission,” Barisione said. “She brings an analytical eye and a sensitivity to the social dimension of design in line with our ongoing effort to interpret our collection as a living language that connects past and present.”

“We are delighted to welcome Danielle to The Wolfsonian. Expanding the capacity of the curatorial department is essential as the collection continues to grow,” said interim museum director Michael Hughes. “Having Danielle on board brings new ideas, as well as fresh opportunities for exhibitions and engagement.”

A scholar of 20th-century design, craft, and museum history, Charlap has a passion for the objects of everyday life. Her most recent exhibition, Material Curiosity by Design: Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman, with Porfirio Gutiérrez, Jolie Ngo, and Vince Skelly, opens at Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles this month (November 2025).
“I’m thrilled to join the intrepid Wolfsonian team, to dive into this one-of-a-kind collection, and help highlight the profound wonder in everyday objects,” Charlap said. “I’ve been a longtime admirer of The Wolfsonian’s incredible exhibitions and scholarship, as well as its interdisciplinary approach to the designs that shape our lived experience.”

In addition to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Charlap has worked on exhibitions at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York; and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; among others. With the support of the Decorative Arts Trust and Center for Craft, her recently-completed dissertation explores the complex network of professionals and curatorial initiatives that positioned design objects as critical cultural emissaries during the Cold War. She holds a PhD in Art History and a Visual Studies Graduate Certificate from the University of Southern California, an MA in Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture from the Bard Graduate Center, and an AB in History from Harvard College.