Rhiannon Hiles
Chief Executive
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
Rhiannon Hiles has been working at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, for 30 years.
She first joined Beamish as a demonstrator and education assistant and has served in various roles in educational, curatorial, and leadership capacities. Her appointment as chief executive officer (CEO) in 2021 reflects her extensive strategic, commercial, development and operational experience.
As CEO, she oversees the skilled team of staff and volunteers, handling strategic planning and operations at the acclaimed open-air museum. Under her guidance, the museum has been recognised as the ArtFund’s UK Museum of the Year 2025, and was honoured with the national Visitor Welcome Award at the 2024 Museums + Heritage Awards.
In 2024, the organisation finished its Remaking Beamish project, the largest development in its 55-year history. This included recreating a 1950s Town with input from community members who had firsthand experience of the original spaces.
Hiles has a background in architectural design history and earned an MA in Museum Studies from Newcastle University. Her professional experience includes taking part in the esteemed Oxford Cultural Leaders Programme at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.
She serves as vice president of the Association of European Open Air Museums (AEOM), a network of open air museum professionals which share good practices, standards of work, methodologies, and other inspirations; facilitate connections; and promote the role of open air museums in society.
She is also a member of the executive committee of the National Museums Directors' Council, which represents the leaders of the UK's national collections and major regional museums. It aims to ensure that policymakers and opinion formers recognise the full value of museums and their collections, and that they are sufficiently funded and intelligently supported to enable maximum contribution to society and public benefit.
Hiles is a council member for the North East England Chamber of Commerce and an AMA Mentor with the Museums Association.
