The executive director of Pittsburgh's newest museum will vacate his post in the new year to take on a different role in another city.
Sam Moore, who first joined the Moonshot Museum in 2021 and oversaw its successful build-out since then and its subsequent launch last month, will be departing Pittsburgh in January for his native St. Louis where he'll serve as the managing director for public history with the Missouri Historical Society, a museum he used to work at before arriving in Pittsburgh. Prior to leading Moonshot, Moore also held director-level posts at the nearby National Aviary and at the Sen. John Heinz History Center in the Strip District.
A national search has begun for his replacement.
"It was the hardest personal and professional decision I have ever made," Moore said. "Because we've just opened, things are going really well, we're seeing a ton of visitors, we just had the Peregrine spacecraft on full display."
Moore said he is most excited about Moonshot's financing being secured following the recent close of its anticipated $2.7 million capital campaign. He's looking forward to seeing where that funding will take the organization in the months and years to come. And all of this while Pittsburgh continues to expand its space-related economy.
"That continuing storyline of Pittsburgh as a leader for space, Moonshot is going to be a part of that story moving forward," Moore said. "We're going to grow and adapt as the space industry grows, and we have just started to see students coming into the space; we've seen [about] 10 field trips so far. Once we get past the holidays and into the spring semester, what I think I'm most excited about for our team at Moonshot and the next executive director is just having kids in there all the time — full of kids — reaching our community and saying space is on the menu of opportunity for you."
Moore's successor will report directly to Moonshot's board of directors and can expect an annual salary range between $75,000 and $90,000 depending on experience.
The Moonshot Museum is managed by the Astrobotic Foundation, a standalone nonprofit that operates independently from the North Side-based Astrobotic Technology Inc. The museum is located within Astrobotic's headquarters and offers visitors the ability to witness in real-time Astrobotic employees as they assemble landers and rovers that will someday embark on their own lunar explorations. Interactive educational exhibits are also found throughout the 3,000-square-foot facility.
