Massarah Mikati is reporting for the Times Union after more than 30 years of service as director of Mass MoCA, Joseph Thompson announced August 21, his intention to step down from the position. "After more than three decades as director, it is high time for me to step away from day-to-day management of the museum, focusing for the next year on transition planning, institutional advancement, and capacity-building,” Thompson said in a press release. Thompson will serve as special counsel to the Mass MoCA Board of Trustees for the next year, focusing on special projects and advancing the institution, as well as conducting a search for a the museum's new permanent director. Tracy Moore has been appointed interim director effective October 29. "The capacities of this wonderful place, and the great people who work here, are unlimited, and the next director will have endless opportunities to advance Mass MoCA’s mission," Thompson said. "We’ve barely touched the 17 acres of outdoor grounds, and while we have an exciting and newly conceived master plan in place, two of our most important and strategically situated buildings remain to be programmed and renovated.” Mass MoCA is now one of the most prominent non-collecting art institutions, and is the single largest museum of contemporary art in the U.S. Mass MoCA's annual visitation grew from 60,000 from the years following the museum's 1999 opening, to 300,000. And its campus grew from 200,000 square feet and five buildings, to 550,000 square feet and 17 buildings. Read the full story in the Times Union.