The director of the Portland Art Museum will now be called the “Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Director,” after the museum announced an endowment from the Schnitzer family on Friday.
According to a press release from the museum, the Schnitzers have donated $13.5 million to the Rothko pavilion project, which is set to open in November and will connect the two halves of the current museum.
The gift is the largest individual donation in the museum’s history, the press release said.
Going forward, director Brian Ferriso will officially be known as the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Director.
“I am pleased to be the first Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Director at the Portland Art Museum,” Ferriso said in the release. “The Schnitzer family has made extraordinary contributions as leaders and donors to this institution as well as arts organizations throughout Oregon and across the country.”
Ferriso won’t be going by that title for long, however. He’s set to leave Portland and become the new head of the Dallas Museum of Art on Dec. 1.
– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052 or lacker@oregonian.com.
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