- James Henry Breasted (August 27, 1865–December 2, 1935)
Director, July 1, 1919–December 2, 1935
- John Albert Wilson (September 12, 1899–August 30, 1976)
Acting Director, January 14, 1936–June 30, 1936
Director, July 1, 1936–November 30, 1946
Harold Hayden Nelson (November 25, 1878–January 24, 1954)
Acting Director, 1942–1943
- Thorkild Peter Rudolph Jacobsen (June 7, 1904–May 2, 1993)
Director, December 1, 1946–January 31, 1950
- Carl Hermann Kraeling (March 10, 1897–November 14, 1966)
Director, February 1, 1950–June 30, 1960
John Albert Wilson (September 12, 1899–August 30, 1976)
Acting Director, July 1, 1960–June 30, 1961
Emery Thomas Filbey (December 23, 1878–August 24, 1969)
Acting Director, July 1, 1961–May 31, 1962
- Robert McCormick Adams (July 23, 1926–January 27, 2018)
Director, May 4, 1962–June 30, 1968
- George Robert Hughes (January 12, 1907–December 21, 1992)
Director, July 1, 1968-June 30, 1972
- John Anthony Brinkman (July 4, 1934– )
Director, July 1, 1972–June 30, 1981
- Robert McCormick Adams (July 23, 1926–January 27, 2018)
Director, July 1, 1981-June 30, 1983
- Janet Helen Johnson (December 24, 1944– )
Director, July 1, 1983-September 30, 1989
- William Marvin Sumner (September 8, 1928–July 7, 2011)
Director, October 1, 1989–September 30, 1997
- Gene B. Gragg (August 24, 1938– )
Director, October 1, 1997–June 30, 2002
- Gil Stein (January 9, 1956– )
Director, July 1, 2002–June 30, 2017
- Christopher Woods (September 12, 1968– )
Director, July 1, 2017–April 30, 2021
- Theo Van Den Hout (October 12, 1953– )
Interim Director, April 1, 2021–present
