WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.- The Norton Museum of Art announced receipt of the largest, single philanthropic gift in the institution’s 77-year history, a gift of $16 million from the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund (funded exclusively by philanthropist, Kenneth C. Griffin), in support of the Campaign for The New Norton. The Museum’s $100 million campaign includes the construction of a state-of-the-art, 59,000-square-foot wing designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster. In recognition of the gift, the Norton’s new building will be named the Kenneth C. Griffin Building. The Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund also intends to give an additional $4 million to endow the directorship, bringing the Fund’s total support of the Norton to $20 million.
“It is impossible to overstate the importance of this gift to the Norton, and our sincere gratitude to Ken for making it possible,” said Hope Alswang, Executive Director and CEO of the Museum. “Not since Ralph Norton built the Museum itself has there been such a significant investment in it by a single donor. This gift is a great honor and a testament to Ken’s belief in the Museum’s vision for the future. The gift ensures the success of our campaign for the New Norton and will leave an indelible mark on the institution for many years to come.”
“The New Norton is the realization of an ambitious, transformative vision for the museum,” said Kenneth C. Griffin. “It will create a wonderful opportunity for generations of Palm Beach families, students and visitors to learn about and enjoy art.”
The Museum is in the final stages of construction and will re-open on February 9, 2019. The expansion will include 37 percent more exhibition space, enabling it to expand its schedule of special exhibitions, display more of the Museum’s collection and, for the first time, dedicate galleries to its outstanding photography collection. Education space will increase by 50 percent; new public gardens—the first to be designed by Lord Norman Foster—will feature 11 modern and contemporary sculptures; and a distinctive new entrance, incorporating a majestic, decades-old banyan tree, will be anchored by Claes Oldenburg’s monumental Pop sculpture Typewriter Eraser, Scale X (1998-1999). The grand re-opening will feature several major exhibitions including RAW: Nina Chanel Abney, Going Public: Florida Collectors Celebrate the Norton, Out of the Box: Camera-less Photography, and Modern Spontaneity: Ralph Norton’s Watercolors, among others.
Kenneth C. Griffin is the founder and CEO of Chicago-based Citadel, one of the world’s most successful and respected investment firms. A Florida native, Griffin is a passionate philanthropist who has given more than $600 million to educational and cultural causes, including the Art Institute of Chicago, MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Harvard University, The University of Chicago, and many others.
“The Board of Trustees is deeply appreciative of this gift, which will enable us to create an iconic architectural presence worthy of the Museum’s collections, and for doing so much to build civic and cultural life in Palm Beach County and beyond,” said Norton Trustee Ronnie Heyman. “Thanks to this generous gift, we look forward to an even brighter future for the Norton and the many communities it serves.”
Philanthropist and art collector Leonard Lauder, a seasonal resident of Palm Beach, said, “I love the Norton and am a great admirer and supporter of the museum—and of Ken! His leadership is exemplary and is an inspiration to me. I hope it will be an inspiration to others, as well. This is a wonderful moment for the Norton and for the Palm Beach community, and I salute Ken for making it happen.”
