Even for Philanthropists, Museums Can Make Art a Tough Give
“Is it better to go for a midsize regional museum where your works will be a focus,” he asked,
“or an encyclopedic museum where your works will see the light of day every five years?”
Of course, museums are not the only place to donate art.
“The first thing people are surprised with is when the museum comes back
and says, ‘I’ll take your painting if you give us an added endowment to care for the work of art,’” Mr.
“Usually, a museum will want one or two specific items in your collection to fill gaps,
and they look at everything else as cost because they’re going to have to store it.”
Being asked for money after offering works of art may sound ungrateful.
Usually, the museum has approached them and said, ‘This is a weak part of our collection.’”
Stephanie Ingrassia, who is a trustee of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, which named a contemporary art gallery after her
and her husband, Tim, made her first donation to the museum in 2007.
“You may have some great Egyptian artifacts and you’d love to have them in the museum when you die,
because who else is going to take them?” Mr. Schindler said.
