Memorial Art Gallery raises $9 million to make admission free in 2027

A surge of donor support during the University’s For Ever Better campaign accelerates MAG’s timeline for expanding access to art and cultural education across the region.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of its members and the community, the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) will open its doors to all—free of charge—sometime in 2027, much sooner than anticipated.

“Making the museum free ensures that everyone can experience the inspiration, learning, and connection that it offers,” says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “We are deeply grateful to our donors, partners, and the broader community whose support makes this historic step possible.”

“By eliminating our admission fee for everyone in perpetuity, generations of community members will soon be able to enjoy MAG’s extraordinary collection and benefit from a rich cultural education without cost of entry ever standing in the way,” says Sarah Jesse, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director of the Memorial Art Gallery. The museum has raised more than $9 million through its Free for All, Forever fundraising efforts, surpassing its original goal and timeline.

Visionary support

A pivotal $1 million gift from Alexander “Al” A. Levitan ’63M (MD) and Lucy K. Levitan marked the completion of the museum’s fundraising for the initiative. The Levitan Family Capstone Challenge underscored the couple’s commitment to ensuring everyone has access to MAG’s world-class collections.

As visionary philanthropists, the Levitans have long championed access to education and formative opportunities for young people. Through endowed scholarships and fellowship funds, they have created pathways for students at the University’s School of Medicine & Dentistry. During a visit to donate works of art to the museum, they learned about the Free for All, Forever initiative and immediately wanted to be part of it.

“We are profoundly thankful to the Levitans for helping us reach this milestone,” adds Mangelsdorf. “Because of them, and the collective tremendous support of so many, the museum has met its Free for All goals early, which is a remarkable achievement.”

A $3 million leadership gift announced in the fall 2025 from MAG Board of Managers Vice President and University Trustee Doug Bennett ’06S (MBA) and Abby Bennett, along with the Sands Family Foundation, established the Abby and Doug Bennett and Sands Family Foundation Free for All Endowment. That gift served as the initial call to action for others to help the museum achieve its vision.

In April 2026, Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM) contributed $2 million to the Free for All Endowment. Additional leadership gifts from an anonymous donor, Kitty and Nick Jospé, and Sandy Hawks Lloyd and Justin Hawks Lloyd added to that momentum. Many members of the community have also supported the initiative, underscoring that every contribution—no matter the size—is helping to make free admission possible.

“The Memorial Art Gallery is a treasure in our community, and everyone should have access to it,” says Burris.

Why free admission matters

Sustained public support has helped MAG grow its reach and deepen its impact across the community.

“For many years, Monroe County has proudly supported the MAG in its efforts to offer reduced-price and no-cost opportunities for residents, expand community engagement, enhance access to art and arts education in local schools, and accelerate important projects and exhibitions that might not otherwise reach the community,” says Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “It’s exciting to see private philanthropy now extending free admission to all visitors. Public-private partnerships are a sustainable way to reinforce our area’s reputation as an arts and cultural hub.”

“Making the museum free ensures that everyone can experience the inspiration, learning, and connection that it offers.” —URochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf

Currently, adult admission is $20—an amount that adds up quickly for families or discourages repeat visits. When the museum has offered free days in the past, attendance has increased more than sixfold, underscoring how many people are eager to visit when cost is no longer a factor.

“Strengthening Rochester’s already vibrant arts and culture sector by expanding access for children is a key objective of the Rochester 2034 Comprehensive Plan, because we know exposure to the arts boosts intellectual growth and creative thinking,” says Mayor Malik Evans. “I want to thank the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery for launching the Free for All, Forever initiative and the generous donors whose gifts brought this vision to reality for helping us advance our goal of establishing Rochester as a premier city of the arts.”

A return to MAG’s roots

When Emily Sibley Watson gifted the museum to the community in 1913, she imagined it as a place of education and enjoyment for all. For its first 56 years, MAG was free to the public—a legacy the museum will soon restore.

The Free for All, Forever initiative was conceived as an endowment, with its earnings covering the loss of admission revenue and costs associated with a rise in attendance, ensuring that general admission remains free for everyone in perpetuity. Annual gifts and memberships will continue to sustain exhibitions, lectures, school programs, community events, and hands-on creative workshop classes. Together, this support ensures that the museum remains not only free to enter but also vibrant, dynamic, and deeply engaged with the community it serves.

As a part of the For Ever Better campaign, the Free for All, Forever initiative underscores both the museum and the University’s broad commitment to expanding access and deepening community engagement. It represents a portion of the museum’s overall campaign goal of $60 million, which will support curatorial and staff excellence, exhibitions, new acquisitions and commissions, and expanded educational and creative opportunities for URochester students, school partnerships, and the broader Rochester community.

“We feel strongly that every family in this region deserves the same opportunities that we have had to engage with art and build unforgettable memories together,” says Doug Bennett. “We are thrilled that the museum can eliminate the cost of admission next year.”

About the For Ever Better campaign

MAG’s Free for All, Forever initiative is a key priority during For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester—a $1.75 billion campaign rooted in the University’s Boundless Possibility strategic plan. The campaign seeks not only to raise critical funds but also to meaningfully engage 250,000 people—amplifying the University’s impact locally and around the world.

About the Memorial Art Gallery

MAG—one of the few university-affiliated art museums in the country that also serves as a public museum—houses 5,000 years of art history and a permanent collection of more than 13,000 objects. Located in Rochester, New York, the museum offers a year-round schedule of world-class exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, and family activities. Its 14-acre campus and Centennial Sculpture Park are a popular destination for Rochesterians and out-of-town visitors alike.

The museum extends gratitude to its Board of Managers and the many supporters whose gifts helped build momentum for the Free for All, Forever initiative, including but not limited to Anonymous, University Trustee Doug Bennett ’06S (MBA) and Abby Bennett, David Burns ’78S (MBA) and Margaret Burns, Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM), Andy and Karen Gallina, M. Lois Gauch ’56W (EdM), University Trustee Emeritus Gwen M. Greene ’65, Sandy Hawks Lloyd and Justin Hawks Lloyd, Kitty and Nick Jospé, Elisabeth Judson ’76W (MA) and Thomas Judson, Cornelia Klein, Anne Konar, Meribeth and Howard Konar, the William and Sheila Konar Foundation, Peter Landers ’83 (MS) and Kathy Landers ’82, Al Levitan ’63M (MD) and Lucy Levitan, William Maniscalco, Ken McCurdy, Sharon and Bob Napier, the Sands Family Foundation, James Tabbi, and Rob Tortorella.