The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University received a new $5 million gift from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to increase the museum’s exhibition endowment as well as to provide annual funding for exhibitions for the next five years. The gift was given in honor of the museum’s founding director, Michael Rush. Now in its second year, Broad MSU is dedicated to exploring global contemporary culture and ideas through art.
The $5 million gift brings to $33 million the total investment in Broad MSU made by alumnus Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, in addition to significant gifts of art. The Broads were the catalyst for the new museum, providing a $28 million lead gift for the design and construction of Broad MSU’s Zaha Hadid-designed building and establishing exhibition and operations endowments and a fund for acquisitions.
“Since its opening in November 2012, the Broad Museum at MSU already has had a transformational impact on Michigan State University, the East Lansing community and the region. This new endowment gift will ensure the museum can continue to advance its mission through engaging exhibitions,” said Lou Anna K. Simon, president of MSU. “We are grateful to Eli and Edythe Broad for their continued generosity and support of programs throughout our campus, and particularly for museum.”
“Michael Rush is realizing the vision for Broad MSU, bringing contemporary artists from around the globe to East Lansing and drawing audiences from around the state, across the country and from all corners of the world,” said Eli Broad. “The exhibitions presented at the museum provide opportunities for students and the community to experience art that they might otherwise never see, while simultaneously drawing new visitors to East Lansing. Edythe and I are pleased to recognize Michael Rush’s leadership in creating this unique institution and we wanted to ensure that the museum continues to push boundaries in the types of exhibitions it presents.”
With a collection containing 7,500 objects from the Greek and Roman periods through the Renaissance and on to the Modern, Broad MSU is uniquely able to contextualize the wide range of contemporary art practices within a firm historical context. Many of the international artists featured are presenting their work for the first time at an American museum or creating new site-responsive commissions for their exhibitions.
The museum, which is expected to infuse an estimated $5 million annually in new spending in the local economy, has exceeded pre-opening attendance projections. To date, more than 125,000 people have visited the museum, traveling from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. In the 32 exhibitions presented since the opening, Broad MSU has shown works by artists from more than 30 countries. On campus, the museum has developed programs that engage students from all disciplines and more than 70 students work at the museum.
“The exhibitions we develop at Broad MSU complement and add to Michigan State University’s globally focused mission, and we often work with artists in countries where MSU has already developed programs,” said Rush. “This new endowment gift will allow us to continue this type of programming well into the future and I am deeply honored that the Broads have given this gift in my name.”