Masha Potemkin
Director of education
The Bone Museum
Masha Potemkin is director of education at The Bone Museum in New York City. Her role spans education, collections, preservation, exhibition development and institutional partnerships, with a focus on making the study of human bones accessible to diverse audiences.
Potemkin is also a key voice in the museum’s digital education programme, presenting videos that explore its collections and provide historical and scientific context around individual specimens.
Her natural, engaging style makes complex and sensitive subjects approachable, while maintaining respect for the human remains and the stories behind them. Her content ranges from short-form videos to longer explorations that can also support classroom learning.
At The Bone Museum, Potemkin advances its mission to foster public understanding of the human skeleton and the history of the medical bone trade. This includes sourcing and curating specimens, developing educational content and strengthening collaborations with other organisations.
Her work combines museum operations with public education, using both the physical museum and digital platforms to encourage curiosity about anatomy, history and the ethical questions surrounding human remains.
One nominator said: "I have not met her person, but just watching these videos has made me want to visit if I ever get to New York City. How many other people have visited the museum because of her videos? Anything that gets visitors of all ages interested in and engaged with the museum is a good thing."
