Portland Art Museum Celebrates Free School Tours
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Thanks to a leadership pledge of $600,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, along with an additional $400,000 raised for the Art Access Endowment, The Portland Art Museum will celebrate the beginning of free school tours with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Museum steps. More than 500 school children will make up the first group to tour the Museum free of charge. They will also enjoy a day of art-making activities and a barbeque lunch sponsored by Northwest Natural.In July the Museum announced the gift of $600,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. The Museum also announced a campaign to raise the remaining $400,000 by the time school would be back in session. The campaign was co-chaired by Hinshaw, Museum Trustee Gordon Sondland and his wife Katherine Durant. Earlier this year, Sondland and Durant pledged $1 million to endow free general admission for children ages 17 and younger.
In April, the Museum began offering free general admission to children but continued to charge a small administrative fee for school groups. This administrative fee, approximately $2.50 per child, covered the costs of groups visiting the Museum such as additional staff, parking for buses, and other accommodations.
Thanks to additional contributions, including $100,000 from the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund,
the Museum raised the remaining $400,000 so that cost will never be an impediment to school children visiting the Museum and experiencing the power of art.
The Museum hopes to raise an additional $1 million to endow transportation assistance for school groups coming to the Museum.
Posted: Friday, September 12th, 2008 | 
Museum Update
