ROCHESTER, NY.- Jonathan Binstock, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director of the Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester, announced a $3.5 million commitment from Rochester’s Feinbloom family for the expansion, renovation, and perpetual support of the museum’s Grand Gallery. The Feinblooms’ gift is the largest the museum has received in its 104-year history.

The announcement was made following a celebration for the Memorial Art Gallery’s most ambitious and successful fundraising campaign, Gateways to Art, which raised $18.4 million. Binstock remarked that this landmark commitment helps sustain the momentum created by a monumental community effort, ensuring the museum continues to grow and evolve.

“Advancing our mission to enrich people’s lives and build community through the direct experience of art and creativity requires us to use current, relevant, and resonant forms of communication.

“I could not be more grateful to the Feinbloom family for helping us better engage with our audiences,” Binstock said. “We have dreams for what we want the Memorial Art Gallery to become, and we’re fortunate to have friends like the Feinblooms who make them possible.”

University of Rochester President and CEO Joel Seligman complemented Binstock’s sentiments by highlighting the true beneficiaries of the commitment.

“This is really a gift to the citizens of Rochester,” Seligman said. “Everything the museum is now able to do will be for the benefit of those who use it. On behalf of the University and the entire Rochester community, I would like to offer my deepest thanks to the Feinblooms for embodying the true spirit of the museum.”

To bring the Rochester community larger exhibitions, the museum will substantially increase the size of the Grand Gallery, which will also be renamed the Docent Gallery at the family’s request.

Broad-scale renovations will accompany the larger Docent Gallery and enhance the overall visitor experience. State-of-the-art technology upgrades and faster internet connectivity will enable the museum to pair traditional art with advanced educational tools, display media art, and provide more interactive opportunities.