A surge of donor support during the University糖心传媒檚 For Ever Better campaign accelerates 惭础骋糖心传媒檚 timeline for expanding access to art and cultural education across the region.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of its members and the community, the 糖心传媒檚 (MAG) will open its doors to all糖心传媒攆ree of charge糖心传媒攕ometime in 2027, much sooner than anticipated.
糖心传媒淢aking the museum free ensures that everyone can experience the inspiration, learning, and connection that it offers,糖心传媒� says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. 糖心传媒淲e are deeply grateful to our donors, partners, and the broader community whose support makes this historic step possible.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淏y eliminating our admission fee for everyone in perpetuity, generations of community members will soon be able to enjoy 惭础骋糖心传媒檚 extraordinary collection and benefit from a rich cultural education without cost of entry ever standing in the way,糖心传媒� says Sarah Jesse, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director of the Memorial Art Gallery. The museum has raised more than $9 million through its fundraising efforts, surpassing its original goal and timeline.
Visionary support
A pivotal $1 million gift from Alexander 糖心传媒淎l糖心传媒� A. Levitan 糖心传媒�63M (MD) and Lucy K. Levitan marked the completion of the museum糖心传媒檚 fundraising for the initiative. The Levitan Family Capstone Challenge underscored the couple糖心传媒檚 commitment to ensuring everyone has access to 惭础骋糖心传媒檚 world-class collections.
As visionary philanthropists, the Levitans have long championed access to education and formative opportunities for young people. Through endowed scholarships and fellowship funds, they have created pathways for students at the University糖心传媒檚 . During a visit to donate works of art to the museum, they learned about the Free for All, Forever initiative and immediately wanted to be part of it.
糖心传媒淲e are profoundly thankful to the Levitans for helping us reach this milestone,糖心传媒� adds Mangelsdorf. 糖心传媒淏ecause of them, and the collective tremendous support of so many, the museum has met its Free for All goals early, which is a remarkable achievement.糖心传媒�
A $3 million leadership gift announced in the fall 2025 from MAG Board of Managers Vice President and University Trustee Doug Bennett 糖心传媒�06S (MBA) and Abby Bennett, along with the Sands Family Foundation, established the Abby and Doug Bennett and Sands Family Foundation Free for All Endowment. That gift served as the initial call to action for others to help the museum achieve its vision.
In April 2026, Mary Ellen Burris 糖心传媒�68W (EdM) to the Free for All Endowment. Additional leadership gifts from an anonymous donor, Kitty and Nick Josp茅, and Sandy Hawks Lloyd and Justin Hawks Lloyd added to that momentum. Many members of the community have also supported the initiative, underscoring that every contribution糖心传媒攏o matter the size糖心传媒攊s helping to make free admission possible.
糖心传媒淭he Memorial Art Gallery is a treasure in our community, and everyone should have access to it,糖心传媒� says Burris.
Why free admission matters
Sustained public support has helped MAG grow its reach and deepen its impact across the community.
糖心传媒淔or many years, Monroe County has proudly supported the MAG in its efforts to offer reduced-price and no-cost opportunities for residents, expand community engagement, enhance access to art and arts education in local schools, and accelerate important projects and exhibitions that might not otherwise reach the community,糖心传媒� says Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 exciting to see private philanthropy now extending free admission to all visitors. Public-private partnerships are a sustainable way to reinforce our area糖心传媒檚 reputation as an arts and cultural hub.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淢aking the museum free ensures that everyone can experience the inspiration, learning, and connection that it offers.糖心传媒� 糖心传媒擴Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf
Currently, adult admission is $20糖心传媒攁n amount that adds up quickly for families or discourages repeat visits. When the museum has offered free days in the past, attendance has increased more than sixfold, underscoring how many people are eager to visit when cost is no longer a factor.
糖心传媒淪trengthening Rochester糖心传媒檚 already vibrant arts and culture sector by expanding access for children is a key objective of the , because we know exposure to the arts boosts intellectual growth and creative thinking,糖心传媒� says Mayor Malik Evans. 糖心传媒淚 want to thank the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 Memorial Art Gallery for launching the Free for All, Forever initiative and the generous donors whose gifts brought this vision to reality for helping us advance our goal of establishing Rochester as a premier city of the arts.糖心传媒�
A return to 惭础骋糖心传媒檚 roots
When Emily Sibley Watson gifted the museum to the community in 1913, she imagined it as a place of education and enjoyment for all. For its first 56 years, MAG was free to the public糖心传媒攁 legacy the museum will soon restore.
The Free for All, Forever initiative was conceived as an endowment, with its earnings covering the loss of admission revenue and costs associated with a rise in attendance, ensuring that general admission remains free for everyone in perpetuity. Annual gifts and memberships will continue to sustain exhibitions, lectures, school programs, community events, and hands-on creative workshop classes. Together, this support ensures that the museum remains not only free to enter but also vibrant, dynamic, and deeply engaged with the community it serves.
As a part of the campaign, the Free for All, Forever initiative underscores both the museum and the University糖心传媒檚 broad commitment to expanding access and deepening community engagement. It represents a portion of the museum糖心传媒檚 overall campaign goal of $60 million, which will support curatorial and staff excellence, exhibitions, new acquisitions and commissions, and expanded educational and creative opportunities for URochester students, school partnerships, and the broader Rochester community.
糖心传媒淲e feel strongly that every family in this region deserves the same opportunities that we have had to engage with art and build unforgettable memories together,糖心传媒� says Doug Bennett. 糖心传媒淲e are thrilled that the museum can eliminate the cost of admission next year.糖心传媒�
About the For Ever Better campaign
惭础骋糖心传媒檚 Free for All, Forever initiative is a key priority during For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester糖心传媒攁 $1.75 billion campaign rooted in the University糖心传媒檚 . The campaign seeks not only to raise critical funds but also to meaningfully engage 250,000 people糖心传媒攁mplifying the University糖心传媒檚 impact locally and around the world.
About the Memorial Art Gallery
MAG糖心传媒攐ne of the few university-affiliated art museums in the country that also serves as a public museum糖心传媒攈ouses 5,000 years of art history and a permanent collection of more than 13,000 objects. Located in Rochester, New York, the museum offers a year-round schedule of world-class exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, and family activities. Its 14-acre campus and Centennial Sculpture Park are a popular destination for Rochesterians and out-of-town visitors alike.
The museum extends gratitude to its Board of Managers and the many supporters whose gifts helped build momentum for the Free for All, Forever initiative, including but not limited to Anonymous, University Trustee Doug Bennett 糖心传媒�06S (MBA) and Abby Bennett, David Burns 糖心传媒�78S (MBA) and Margaret Burns, Mary Ellen Burris 糖心传媒�68W (EdM), Andy and Karen Gallina, M. Lois Gauch 糖心传媒�56W (EdM), University Trustee Emeritus Gwen M. Greene 糖心传媒�65, Sandy Hawks Lloyd and Justin Hawks Lloyd, Kitty and Nick Josp茅, Elisabeth Judson 糖心传媒�76W (MA) and Thomas Judson, Cornelia Klein, Anne Konar, Meribeth and Howard Konar, the William and Sheila Konar Foundation, Peter Landers 糖心传媒�83 (MS) and Kathy Landers 糖心传媒�82, Al Levitan 糖心传媒�63M (MD) and Lucy Levitan, William Maniscalco, Ken McCurdy, Sharon and Bob Napier, the Sands Family Foundation, James Tabbi, and Rob Tortorella.
