The passing of Jim Dean, a true friend, colleague, and art advocate, deeply saddens the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and the art community. His contributions to the Museum’s art collection and NASA are invaluable. Dean left an indelible mark in the fields of art and science as our Museum’s first art curator from 1974 to 1980 and as director of the NASA Art Program from the early 1960s to 1974. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of artists and scientists alike.

Dean’s appointment as the Museum’s art curator in 1974 marked a significant milestone in the institution’s history. He joined the Museum during a period of intense activity, with preparations underway for the opening of the building on the National Mall in 1976. As the art curator, he oversaw the creation of large-scale foundational murals by renowned artists such as Robert McCall, Eric Sloane, and Keith Ferris, as well as the installation of exterior sculptures by Charles O. Perry and Richard Lippold.

Dean’s curation notably expanded the art collection with major works from prestigious artists like Alexander Calder and Norman Rockwell, donations including the Stuart Speiser Photorealism Collection with works by Richard Estes and Audrey Flack, and the transfer of 2,000 artworks from the NASA Art Program. He even had the honor of meeting artist Alma Thomas and selecting artworks from the artist’s Washington, D.C., home to add to the collection. Dean’s role as the first art curator and his pioneering spirit, and his contributions to the Museum, will endure for years.

Many artists and art historians had the privilege of working with Jim Dean, who was known for his passion and dedication as the director of the NASA Art Program. The program, which began in 1962 under the leadership of NASA Administrator James Webb, aimed to give artists unprecedented access to NASA facilities to document the groundbreaking achievements of the space program. Jim Dean worked alongside Hereward Lester Cooke from the National Gallery of Art to select artists for the program. However, Dean went above and beyond by arranging and providing access for over 50 artists, often under challenging circumstances that required negotiation with security guards or directors of flight crew operations at NASA. He collaborated with some of the most renowned artists of his time, including Norman Rockwell, Robert Rauschenberg, Jamie Wyeth, Lamar Dodd, Peter Hurd, Mitchell Jamieson, and Paul Calle.

After years of supporting other artists, Dean finally had the time to pursue his lifelong passion as an artist. In retirement, he worked in his studio at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia, and his favorite place for landscape painting was Monhegan Island, Maine. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and has even been featured on U.S. postage stamps, a testament to the quality of his work.

Jim Dean’s character was shaped by his early years and family life. He spent two years serving in the military before returning to school and completing his degree in art at the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1956. Following this, he worked as a graphic designer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon before joining NASA. Dean was the fifth child of Sadie M. and John Dean, and grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts, with his five siblings. He met his high school sweetheart Rita J. Williams (1932-2019), who would become the love of his life. They were married for 66 years and raised three sons, James W. Dean (deceased), Richard S. Dean, and Steven C. Dean.

His passing is a significant loss, but his contributions to the Museum and the NASA Art Program will continue to inspire artists, and his memory will endure through his own artwork and the countless lives he impacted.

A tribute to Jim Dean’s life and work will be featured in a future issue of the Museum’s Air & Space Quarterly magazine, and more information can be found at Support at Predawn: The NASA Program and James Dean.

In late 2026, a special display case will be dedicated to Jim Dean’s collaboration with Robert Rauschenberg in the upcoming exhibit “The Ascent of Robert Rauschenberg” for the Museum’s reopening of the newly renovated Flight and the Arts Center.

Carolyn Russo is the curator for the Museum’s art collection.