Maxwell L. Anderson, the suave former director of the Whitney Museum of American Art, swung through New York on Wednesday to update folks in the media about goings-on at his latest gig â€" the Dallas Museum of Art, where he became director 15 months ago.
Rather than just jawbone over steak at BLT Prime, Mr. Anderson actually delivered some news: Marguerite Steed Hoffman, a Dallas philanthropist, has donated $17 million to the museum for the acquisition of Old Master paintings and European sculpture. The gift establishes an endowment to expand and enhance the museum’s collection of European art, primarily of the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Ms. Hoffman, a former chairwoman of the museum, made the gift in her name and and that of her husband, Robert, who died in 2006. They were among a group of Dallas collectors who in 2005 announced a pledge to donate their modern and contemporary collections to the Dallas Museum upon their deaths.
In other news, the museum’s shift to free membership in January has had memorable results, with 6,000 people having joined so far. In a new approach akin to frequent-flier programs, members amass points for various activities â€" like visiting particular exhibitions â€" and can redeem them for perks like a private tour or going to a storeroom with a curator.
“Museums need to do this in order to understand who’s visiting, what they’re doing, what they’re learning,†Mr. Anderson said.
