Your donation provides critical support for the museum, and furthers our mission to bring the enjoyment and inspiration of art to the students of UConn and people of the State of Connecticut and the Northeast.

Donate Online through the UConn Foundation   Select one of the Benton Museum Funds listed:

WBMA Endowment Fund (gifts towards exhibition and collections)
Anonymous Donor Fund for Education (gifts towards museum education)
Directors Fund WBMA (gifts towards general operations)
WBMA Museum Memberships (for museum memberships only)

Portraits of Philanthropy

People are motivated to give to the Benton Museum for a variety of reasons, from a love of art to a strong desire to help continue building its collections, or for educational programs. Read about some friends who have generously helped us bring art and culture to the citizens of the State of Connecticut and the students at the University of Connecticut.

College President Charles Lewis Beach bequeathed his impressive holdings of American art to the University on his death in 1933, along with a trust fund for future acquisitions. It was President Beach’s intent that the collection “instill and cultivate an appreciation of works of art in the student body of the College and in such other persons as may avail themselves of said collection.” This original collection included works by Childe Hassam, Henry Ward Ranger, Emil Carlson, Charles H. Davis, Ernest Lawson and Guy Wiggins.

Dr. Walter Landauer, an internationally recognized geneticist and professor, gave the University 107 Käthe Kollwitz prints and drawings in 1965.

Connecticut Senator and University trustee William Benton’s family gave the museum a sizable collection of Reginald Marsh paintings and works by other important 20th century American artists.

Esther and James Barnett created an endowment for the Collection of American Painting, which consists of works produced by American artists from 1940 on.

June and Norman Kraeft created a memorial endowment for the acquisition of American prints and graphic art in the tradition of American realist art between 1790 and 1950.

Robert S. and Naomi C. Dennison created a memorial endowment for the acquisition of art created before 1950.

Theodor Hans donated 300 pieces from his wife Elisabeth Hans’ extraordinarily rich Mola collection in her memory.  The collection is used for exhibitions and also as part of the Museum’s Education Collection.  You can see part of the collection in an online exhibition.

Evelyn Simon Gilman donated to funds in 2004 to expand the museum and create the Evelyn Simon Gilman Gallery which is now home to a rotating exhibition of the Museum’s permanent collection.

Eugene and Georgia Mittelman created an endowment for an art lecture series.

Charles Lincoln bequeathed his collection of Japanese prints.

Doris A. and Herbert A. Lane bequeathed a gift to purchase works of art in their name.

George and Dolly Whitham bequeathed funds through a memorial trust.

David D. Hall bequeathed a memorial gift to support Connecticut collections.

Marjorie M. Englert bequeathed a gift through her estate to support children’s programming in her name.

Many artists, donors, and museum members have given generously to the museum.  They cannot all be named here, but their gifts support vital programs and exhibitions at the museum.