Today is the 25th Anniversary of National Philanthropy Day®, the day that nonprofits across the country celebrate the countless daily contributions that individuals and organizations make to our causes.
The IMA quite literally would not be here without the support of our donors and friends. The Art Association of Indianapolis, which would later become the Indianapolis Museum of Art, was formed in 1883 as a membership club that intended to educate the public about art. Membership dues actually started it all!
Generous individuals have shaped the Museum in many ways. John Herron’s estate gift in 1895 provided the means for the Art Association to build our first art school and gallery. Other families have given us the Oldfields estate and the Miller House, so that visitors have a chance to step back in time (be it to the Jazz Age or the modern 1950s!). Donor names are on our gallery walls, not because they ever picked up a paintbrush or sculpted in clay, but because they chose to share the art that they collected with the entire community. When the IMA needed to expand in 2005, our loyal patrons stepped up to provide the funds for a total of 143,000 square feet of exhibition space.
