In less than two weeks, the National Museum of Mexican Art will reopen its doors after temporarily closing due to COVID-19 in March 2020.
When that happens on July 1, the museum will be kicking off operations with a major financial boost.
The museum, located in the Pilsen neighborhood, says it recently received an $8 million donation – the largest single gift in its 39-year history.
The museum’s founder and president Carlos Tortolero said the museum’s staff and board are still deciding how they’ll spend the money and indicated a good portion of it will likely end up in an endowment.
“It is so nice, because in a sense, it is a confirmation that we’ve been doing so many great things throughout the years,” Tortolero said.
The money comes from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and one of the wealthiest people in the world.
READ: UIC, Kennedy-King Among Chicago Institutions Celebrating Windfall Donations From MacKenzie Scott
Admission is free and the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit NationalMuseumofMexicanArt.org for details.