ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM REACHES FUND-RAISING MILESTONE

THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM, BOSTON, HAS REACHED A CRITICAL BENCHMARK IN EARLY FUND-RAISING FOR ITS NEW BUILDING AND PALACE RESTORATION PROJECT. THE GARDNER MUSEUM HAS RAISED, TO DATE, MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN GIFTS AND PLEDGES, REPRESENTING SUPPORT FROM THE MUSEUM'S ENTIRE BOAR OF TRUSTEES, AS WELL AS FROM THE MUSEUM OVERSEER, OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONAL FUNDERS. THIS EARLY FUND-RAISING WILL HELP TO SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW BUILDING DESIGNED BY PRITZKER PRIZE WINNING ARCHITECT RENZO PIANO, LOCATED BEHIND THE GARDNER MUSEUM. DESIGNED TO COMPLEMENT THE HISTORIC MUSEUM, THE NEW BUILDING, LIKE ISABELLA GARDNER'S ORIGINAL, WILL BE A WORK OF ART AND A CULTURAL LANDMARK FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE PROJECT WILL HELP TO PRESERVE THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM BY REDUCING WEAR AND TEAR ON THE MUSEUM PALACE AND WORLD RENOWNED COLLECTION BY RE-LOCATING VISITOR SERVICES TO THE NEW BUILDING, AND WILL HOUSE NEW AREA FOR PROGRAMMING CARRYING FORWARD GARDNER'S LEGACY AS A CENTER FOR CREATIVITY. THE MUSEUM IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH ARCHITECT RENZO PIANO AND RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP ON FINAL REFINEMENTS TO THE DESIGN OF THE NEW BUILDING, INCLUDING PLANS FOR THE EXTERIOR CLADDING AND MATERIALS. WHILE FINAL DESIGN REFINEMENTS ARE STILL UNDERWAY, THE MUSEUM ANTICIPATES TOTAL PROJECTED HARD AND SOFT COSTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW BUILDING TO BE APPROXIMATELY $115 MILLION. IN ADDITION, THE CAMPAIGN WILL RAISE FUNDS FOR THE ENDOWMENT AND FOR THE PRESERVATION WORK ON THE COLLECTION AND THE HISTORIC BUILDING , IN ADDITION TO THE RESTORATION OF GALLERY AREAS IN THE EXISTING MUSEUM PALACE. THE MUSEUM WILL UNVEIL THE FINAL DESIGN IN EARLY 2010. THE MUSEUM ALSO WILL LAUNCH A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO THE NEW BUILDING PROJECT AT THAT TIME. "PRESERVATION IS AT THE HEART OF THIS INITIATIVE", SAYS BARBARA HOSTETTER, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE. "THE NEW BUILDING AND RESTORATION PROJECT WILL ENSURE THE LONG-TERM PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORIC MUSEUM AND COLLECTION, WHILE GIVING LIFE TO ISABELLA GARDENER'S LEGACY OF SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS, MUSIC, LANDSCAPE AND SCHOLARSHIP. THE EARLY SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM THAT WE ARE SEEING FOR THE PROJECT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GARDNER MUSEUM, AND OF THIS PROJECT, TO THE MANY WHO LOVE AND CHERISH ITS UNIQUE LEGACY."