Anonymous Donor Gives $15 Million To Perez Art Museum

An anonymous donor has pledged to give $12 million in cash and $3 million in art to the Perez Art Museum Miami opening this December. This is the second biggest donation so far from a single donor; developer Jorge Perez gave the largest donation when he pledged $35 million in 2011, which earned him the museum’s new name. “We talked back and forth and ended up with this wonderful gift,” said Aaron Podhurst, chairman of the museum’s board of trustees. “That’s all I can say. It’s a person who wants to do very good things in the community.”

The 200,000-square foot, Herzog and de Meuron-designed building is part of the Miami Art Museum’s $220 million budget for the expansion project. $100 million comes from public money, which makes it the largest single contribution to the project. In 2008, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation donated $10 million to the museum. In 2012, Stephen Ross, the Miami Dolphins owner and also a Perez business partner, had donated $1 million; and Miguel Fernandez, chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners and longtime friend of Perez, pledged to give $5 million. This brings the Perez Art Museum to 85% of its $220 million goal. “We’re well past the brick-and-mortar costs now for fundraising,” said Museum Direction Thom Collins. “This money will go into the endowment.”