Museum of the City of New York gifted $10m
A $10m gift to the Museum of the City of New York is the largest ever received by the institution in its 94-year history. The generous donation was made by the Thompson Family Foundation in support of the museum's 'New York at Its Core' exhibition and its related educational activities. The exhibition chronicles the city's 400-year history from a number of different angles, including through the eyes of immigrants. Museum Director Whitney Donhauser described the donation as a "transformative gift".
The Museum of the City of New York has received a $10 million gift, the largest in its 94-year history, from the Thompson Family Foundation. The donation matches the price tag of the institution’s ambitious new exhibition, “New York at Its Core,” about the city’s 400-year history, and will support related educational activities.

Five years in the making, the permanent exhibition opened November 18, chronicling New York’s evolution from a small Dutch village to the so-called “Capital of the World.” It explores the city’s history from a variety of angles, recounting the stories of the immigrants, politicians, and businessmen who made New York what it is today, spotlighting the contributions of visionaries and the average citizen alike.

Bolstered by the Thomas Family Foundation’s donation, James G. Dinan, the museum’s chair of the board of trustees, said in a statement, “the museum will be able to continue to celebrate and interpret the city and reinforce our commitment to keeping education at the heart of the museum’s mission.”

Included in the planned “New York at Its Core” programs at the museum’s Frederick A.O. Schwarz Education Center are class trips for children of all ages and Seminar Day professional development events for educators. The exhibition contains nearly 450 historic objects and images. Among the featured personalities are everyone from Alexander Hamilton to Walt Whitman and Jay Z.

“It’s a transformative gift,” the museum’s director, Whitney Donhauser told the New York Times. “It validates the work the staff has done for years to create strong educational programming around our exhibits.”

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