The National Gallery of Art Embraces New Role as Lending Library, Thanks to a Big Gift That Sends Artwork to Other Museums

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., has received a $116 million donation from the Mitchell P. Rales Family Foundation to fund its 'Across the Nation' lending program. The gift, the largest programming-related donation in the museum's history, will support shipping, installation, and other costs associated with sending artworks on two-year loans to smaller regional museums across the United States, from Alaska to Florida.

The initiative aims to fulfill the 'national' mandate of the institution by sharing its vast collection of 160,000 works, much of which remains in storage, with audiences who may not visit the capital. The program, which celebrates the U.S. 250th birthday, has already reached nearly 900,000 visitors at ten partner museums and strengthens the National Gallery's role as a public resource for the entire country.