Two major gifts from Louisa Stude Sarofim and The Anschutz Foundation, part of Princeton University's Venture Forward campaign, will name the Wilmerding Pavilion and the Anschutz Galleries in the new Princeton University Art Museum. The pavilion honors the late John Wilmerding, a pioneering American art historian and professor at Princeton, while the galleries within it will showcase the museum's American art collections. The museum opens on October 31, 2025, and the new space will allow a nearly five-fold increase in displayed works, including a broader definition of American art encompassing Spanish Colonial and Native American art.
This gift matters because it significantly expands the museum's capacity to display American art and cements Princeton's leadership in American art scholarship. John Wilmerding's legacy as a transformative figure in the field is honored through the pavilion, while the Anschutz Foundation's support enables a more inclusive and expansive presentation of American art history. The donations also underscore the importance of philanthropic support in advancing university museums and their educational missions.