Posted on January 26, 2012

Westmoreland Museum Receives $8 Million From Richard King Mellon Foundation

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, has announced an $8 million gift from the Pittsburgh-based Richard King Mellon Foundation in support of its $35 million capital and endowment campaign.

The largest gift ever received by the museum includes $6 million for construction of a new wing, renovation of the existing building, and a complete redesign of the grounds. The remaining $2 million will be reserved to challenge other donors later in the campaign, which seeks to raise $15 million for construction of the new wing, $15 million for an endowment, and $5 million to fund operations during the campaign.

"This gift not only validates the museum's strategic planning for our capital and endowment campaign, it propels us forward. To say it is very gratifying is not saying enough. It is empowering," said the museum's director and CEO, Judith H. O'Toole. "We have had a long relationship with the R.K. Mellon Foundation....As a foundation that is dedicated to improving the quality of life in southwestern Pennsylvania, they have not only supported the museum financially but also through their time and expertise."