Director’s letter, August 2016
Updated Jul 20, 2022
One of the favorite objects of our younger visitors is the mummy in our Egyptian galleries. Standing before this remarkable piece of funerary art is quite impressive, and I understand perfectly how its contemplation becomes a springboard for our visitors' imaginations--and we want the museum to help your imagination fly high. Our Egyptian holdings are not vast, but we have beautiful pieces, some of which belonged to the personal collection of Howard Carter, the Egyptologist who discovered the famous tomb of Tutankhamen, "King Tut."
I visited the Egyptian Galleries for a special and very inspiring occasion in July: the naming of the space for the Founders Junior Council (FJC). The FJC is one of the DIA's auxiliary groups, founded in 1965; it recruits passionate, young (under 40) lovers of the arts to support the DIA. I attend their events and admire this group of smart, energetic women and men and its commitment to the institution for which they generously give their time. Furthermore, they are extraordinary fundraisers for the DIA. The last time I attended their board meeting, I shared with them the challenge we have ahead of us to bring our operating endowment up to $400 million by early 2023 (currently it is about $130 million). I remember how, on that day in a very silent meeting room, they attentively listened to my presentation and how their eyes sparked when I asked for their help with the museum's overarching goal.
After much deliberation, led by president Amy Zimmer, the FJC approved in April a motion for an unprecedented pledge by an auxiliary group to raise $1 million to be given to our operating endowment over the next four years. I was almost in shock when I learned the news. This is a Herculean effort, and I cannot be more grateful to this amazing group for their generosity and far-reaching vision. The FJC is investing in the DIA's financial sustainability that will help keep the doors of the museum open forever. They are making history and establishing a foundation to secure the DIA for future generations. I am honored to have a team of volunteers of this stature, and I look forward to working with them in the upcoming years. In the meantime, please bring your family and visit our new Founders Junior Council Gallery. Our more than 2,000 year-old mummy is waiting for you there and will continue to receive visitors for thousands of years to come, thanks to the FJC and many generous DIA donors. Thank you for your leadership and inspiration!
One of the favorite objects of our younger visitors is the mummy in our Egyptian galleries. Standing before this remarkable piece of funerary art is quite impressive, and I understand perfectly how its contemplation becomes a springboard for our visitors' imaginations--and we want the museum to help your imagination fly high. Our Egyptian holdings are not vast, but we have beautiful pieces, some of which belonged to the personal collection of Howard Carter, the Egyptologist who discovered the famous tomb of Tutankhamen, "King Tut."
I visited the Egyptian Galleries for a special and very inspiring occasion in July: the naming of the space for the Founders Junior Council (FJC). The FJC is one of the DIA's auxiliary groups, founded in 1965; it recruits passionate, young (under 40) lovers of the arts to support the DIA. I attend their events and admire this group of smart, energetic women and men and its commitment to the institution for which they generously give their time. Furthermore, they are extraordinary fundraisers for the DIA. The last time I attended their board meeting, I shared with them the challenge we have ahead of us to bring our operating endowment up to $400 million by early 2023 (currently it is about $130 million). I remember how, on that day in a very silent meeting room, they attentively listened to my presentation and how their eyes sparked when I asked for their help with the museum's overarching goal.
After much deliberation, led by president Amy Zimmer, the FJC approved in April a motion for an unprecedented pledge by an auxiliary group to raise $1 million to be given to our operating endowment over the next four years. I was almost in shock when I learned the news. This is a Herculean effort, and I cannot be more grateful to this amazing group for their generosity and far-reaching vision. The FJC is investing in the DIA's financial sustainability that will help keep the doors of the museum open forever. They are making history and establishing a foundation to secure the DIA for future generations. I am honored to have a team of volunteers of this stature, and I look forward to working with them in the upcoming years. In the meantime, please bring your family and visit our new Founders Junior Council Gallery. Our more than 2,000 year-old mummy is waiting for you there and will continue to receive visitors for thousands of years to come, thanks to the FJC and many generous DIA donors. Thank you for your leadership and inspiration!
