1. James Henry Breasted (August 27, 1865-December 2, 1935)
    Director, July 1, 1919-December 2, 1935
     
  2. 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
     
  3. Thorkild Peter Rudolph Jacobsen (June 7, 1904-May 2, 1993)
    Director, December 1, 1946-January 31, 1950
     
  4. 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
     
  5. Robert McCormick Adams (July 23, 1926-January 27, 2018)
    May 4, 1962-June 30, 1968
     
  6. George Robert Hughes (January 12, 1907-December 21, 1992)
    Director, July 1, 1968-June 30, 1972
     
  7. John Anthony Brinkman (July 4, 1934- )
    Director, July 1, 1972-June 30, 1981
     
  8. Robert McCormick Adams (July 23, 1926-January 27, 2018)
    Director, July 1, 1981-June 30, 1983
    9.  
  9. Janet Helen Johnson (December 24, 1944- )
    Director, July 1, 1983-September 30, 1989
     
  10. William Marvin Sumner (September 8, 1928-July 7, 2011)
    Director, October 1, 1989-September 30, 1997
     
  11. Gene B. Gragg (August 24, 1938- )
    Director, October 1, 1997-June 30, 2002
     
  12. Gil Stein (January 9, 1956- )
    Director, July 1, 2002-June 30, 2017  
    13.  
  13. Christopher Woods
    Director, July 1, 2017-