Director’s Circle

Director’s Circle members belong to a dedicated circle of arts supporters, a distinguished group of museum friends. In appreciation of your commitment, the museum organizes a variety of exclusive events for members throughout the year. Members experience the museum in myriad ways by exploring installations and collections, getting to know curators and artists, and becoming familiar with the unique offerings of the museum. From elegant dinners and special tours to intimate gatherings and grand exhibition openings, these occasions bring you closer to the core of the museum’s mission, to its collections and to its staff.

The annual Director’s Circle dinner is an exclusive event and great opportunity to meet arts, civic and business leaders from Washington, D.C. and across the nation. Special guests have included diplomats, Supreme Court Justices, artists such as Sean Scully and William Christenberry, as well as entertainer, Tony Bennett.

The Director’s Circle contributes to the museum’s education and outreach programs across the country. Director’s Circle donations support the museum’s ambitious long-term outreach and education plan focused on reaching 85,000 public schools, 45 million students, and 2 million teachers nationwide. The museum provides resources to improve teaching and learning in America’s classrooms.

Specifically, Director’s Circle donations sponsor docent training. The docents receive an intense six-month training program to lead tours in the museums and conduct distance learning "video visits." Docent-led virtual tours are an important part of the museum’s outreach throughout the country. Docents are reaching new school audiences from Oneida, New York to Katy, Texas. One teacher wrote, "My students loved being part of this exciting method of observing artworks. The virtual visit of your museum’s pottery allowed us the unique opportunity to visit world-class art as well as interact with you while discussing the works."

Among other education projects, the Director’s Circle contributes to our award winning Web site, AmericanArt.si.edu, which includes art databases and great educational tools. "Ask Joan of Art," a popular interactive feature, gives the public access to the museum’s reference resources and research staff.

Director's Circle Levels

Contributor $1,500 ($1,100 tax deductible)

Benefits include:

Complimentary invitation for two to the Director's Circle Dinner
Invitations to exhibition opening receptions
Exclusive preview tours of exhibitions with curators and artists

Executive $2,500 ($1,900 tax deductible)

Contributor benefits plus:

Additional invitation for two to the Director's Circle Dinner
Acknowledgement on the Director's Circle Dinner program
Recognition in Smithsonian Annual Report

Connoisseur $5,000 ($4,200 tax deductible)

Executive benefits plus:

Curator led tour for you and your guests of the museum
Additional invitation for two to the Director's Circle Dinner and exhibition openings

All Director's Circle members receive a museum exhibition catalogue, museum updates, and reciprocal membership benefits at great museums across the country. Members receive a 20% discount on purchases at the museum stores in the main museum building as well as the Renwick Gallery, and at our online store: AmericanArt.si.edu/visit/stores/online/ as well as special subscription rates to our academic journal, American Art.

For more information on the Director's Circle, please contact:
Phone: 202-633-8420
Email: SAAMDevelopment@si.edu

Pictured 1st: Wendy Pangburn, Museum Director Elizabeth Broun, and Dinner speaker Tony Bennett at the 2005 Director's Circle Dinner.

Pictured 2nd: Museum Commission Chair James F. Dicke II, Rebecca Pearson, and Rachel Pearson at the 2005 Director's Circle Dinner.

Director’s Circle

Director's Circle Levels

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