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Dr. Lilit Sadoyan is a museum educator, independent curator, and art historian. As Gallery Educator at the Getty Museum since 2008, she facilitates experiences that encourage curiosity, inspire learning, and include diverse perspectives. Her teaching is grounded in an object-based, audience-centered, dialogical and embodied approach.
Lilit leads the Getty’s initiative to investigate the impact of mindfulness in museums through developing programs and workshops for various audiences, which has also included hosting a national convening on Mindfulness in the Museum and a Getty Art + Ideas podcast miniseries. She is co-author of Activity-Based Teaching in the Art Museum (2020).
Lilit has also led curatorial projects at The Huntington Art Collections, Art, Design & Architecture Museum, LACMA, and the Getty. Lilit received her a PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara; her dissertation focuses on embodied experiences of 18th-century French decorative arts and sculpture, as well as the history of collecting and display. Prior to commencing her doctoral work, Lilit received her MA in the history of art from the University of California, Riverside and graduated with a dual degree–a BFA in fine arts and a BA in mathematics, with a minor in art history, from the University of Southern California.
Dr. Lilit Sadoyan will be speaking at the Museum Wellness Summit 2026 :
Museums have become increasingly meaningful spaces for deep connection, slowing down, and emotional and psychological rejuvenation. At Getty, mindfulness is integrated to deepen visitors’ engagement with artworks, themselves, and each other. But how can institutions also better serve their staff? This presentation presents two case studies in which Getty prioritizes the wellbeing of museum professionals. First, a museum mindfulness program designed for the benefit of colleagues. Second, a workshop exploring the intersection and mutual impact of mindfulness and art conservation practice. This presentation shares best practices for cultivating wellbeing and collegial connection in the museum space alongside the findings of an innovative collaboration, including program design and evaluation.