Overview
- The Phillips Collection announced the $15 million gift on Wednesday, marking the largest single donation in the museum’s 105-year history.
- About $11.75–$12 million of the gift will be placed in the endowment to fund long-term maintenance, staffing and conservation positions.
- The museum will use the rest of the funds to pay for a facilities needs assessment, upgrades to data and digital asset management systems, and conservation work.
- A portion of the money is earmarked for Phillips@THEARC in southeast Washington, DC, to launch an annual Art-Play-Practice installation series that will debut with a project inspired by Sam Gilliam’s Broad Cape.
- Director Jonathan P. Binstock, who led the Phillips’ 2025–29 strategic plan after joining in 2023, said the gift builds financial resilience and lets the museum invest in staff capacity and longer-term stewardship of the collection.