Rubenstein was among the initial 40 individuals who have pledged to donate more than half of their wealth to
philanthropic causes or charities as part of
The Giving Pledge. Rubenstein is well known for his "patriotic philanthropy" focused on preservation of
American history and historic sites.
Historic document preservation In December 2007 Rubenstein purchased the last privately owned copy of
Magna Carta at
Sotheby's auction house in New York for $21.3 million. He has lent it to the
National Archives in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Rubenstein gave $13.5 million to the National Archives for a new gallery and visitor center. In 2013, he purchased the July 6, 1776 edition of
The Pennsylvania Evening Post, which was the first newspaper to print the
U.S. Declaration of Independence, for $632,500, so it could be placed on public display. He loaned the copy, one of 19 known to exist, to the
Newseum in 2016. In 2012, he purchased a copy of the
Emancipation Proclamation, signed by
Abraham Lincoln, for $2 million. It was one of 48 copies of the Proclamation to be signed by Lincoln, of which about half survive. Rubenstein donated $10 million to the
National Museum of African American History and Culture and loaned the museum his copy of the Emancipation Proclamation as well as a rare copy of the
Thirteenth Amendment, which was also signed by Lincoln. In November 2013, he bought a copy of the
Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in
British North America, for $14.1 million. This was the highest price ever paid for a printed book. Rubinstein loaned the book to
Duke University, where it was publicly displayed.
Performing arts Rubenstein was vice chairman of the board of the
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York, and chairman of its fundraising drive. A new atrium was named for him. Rubenstein contributed $111 million to the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, making him the largest individual contributor in the Kennedy Center's history. This includes a $50 million donation in 2013 to fund half of a 65,000 square-foot addition to the center. Rubenstein spent 14 years on the Kennedy Center board, to which he was appointed by President
George W. Bush. Trump also removed Rubenstein as chair of board and installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center.
Smithsonian Institution In 2009, Rubinstein began a six-year term as a citizen member of the board of regents of the
Smithsonian Institution. He was reappointed in 2015, and in 2021 was named chairman of the board of regents. His term expired in 2021. He also served as chair of the
National Book Festival. He also donated $2 million in 2013 in support of the Zoo's
Asian elephant research program. Rubenstein donated $5 million to the
National Air and Space Museum to support an exhibit on the
Wright brothers and the early history of aviation.
American historic sites and national monuments He donated $10 million to the
White House Historical Association in 2011. In 2013, he donated $10 million to the
Mount Vernon Ladies' Association for the construction of a building to house the
Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at
Mount Vernon, and to endow a fund for rare books and manuscripts. In 2015, Rubenstein donated $5.37 million to the National Park Foundation to fund the restoration of the
Marine Corps War Memorial in
Arlington, Virginia. In 2013 and 2015, he donated a total of $20 million to the
Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which was used to rebuild at least two buildings in the enslaved community on
Mulberry Row at
Monticello, Jefferson's home. The funds were also used to restore Jefferson's original road scheme, restore Monticello's second and third stories, which were mostly empty, and replace infrastructure. In 2014, Rubenstein donated $10 million to
Montpelier,
James Madison's
plantation house, to support its renovation. In 2014, Rubenstein donated $12 million towards the refurbishment of
Arlington House at
Arlington National Cemetery. The work was completed in 2021. On
Presidents' Day 2016, Rubenstein presented a gift of $18.5 million to the National Park Foundation to expand educational resources, foster public access, and repair and restore the
Lincoln Memorial on the
National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Park Service plans to create 15,000 square feet of visitor space in the
undercroft of the memorial. This gift, presented during
National Park Service's centennial year, was Rubenstein's fourth gift to benefit US national parks. In 2019, Rubenstein donated $10 million for upgrades to the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.; the gift funded a new and expanded museum within the memorial, accessibility improvement, and expanded exhibit space. Work began in December 2021 and is expected to be complete in the spring of 2025. In 2024, Rubenstein contributed $1.5 million to an expansion and modernization of the
Jewish Museum of Maryland.
Universities and healthcare In November 2015, he donated $20 million for the New Commons Building at the
Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton NJ. The building will be named Rubenstein Commons and will feature conference space, meeting rooms, a cafe, and office space.
Duke University Rubenstein has donated over $100 million to Duke University and served as chair of its board of trustees from 2013 to 2017. Rubenstein's first large gift to Duke was in 2002, when he donated $5 million to Duke's
Sanford School of Public Policy in 2002; that gift led to the naming of Rubenstein Hall. In 2009, he donated an additional $5.75 million to support Duke's public policy program. In 2011, he donated $13.6 million to the Duke University Libraries in support of renovating the university's special collections library, which was named the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. In 2012, he donated $15 million to support the university's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative and $10 million to support Duke Athletics. In 2013, Rubenstein donated $10 million to fund graduate fellowships and undergraduate internships at the
Sanford School of Public Policy. In 2014, Rubenstein donated $1.9 million to Jewish Life at Duke to expand programming, fund building renovations and enhance the college experience for Jewish students. In 2015, Rubenstein gave $25 million towards the construction of a new 71,000-square foot Arts Center. In 2017, he donated $20 million to endow scholarships for first-generation, low-income students.
University of Chicago Rubenstein was elected to the board of trustees of the University of Chicago on May 31, 2007. He became chair of the Board in 2022. Between 2010 and 2022, Rubenstein donated $61 million to the
University of Chicago Law School for its Rubenstein Scholars Program, which provides full-tuition scholarships for about 10 percent of the university's law students. In March 2026, Rubenstein donated $50 million for the modernization of Ida Noyes Hall, a campus building, renaming it the David M. Rubenstein Commons.
Harvard University Rubenstein has donated $60 million to the Harvard Kennedy School to facilitate its fellowship program and to help build its new campus. He chairs the Harvard Global Advisory Council. Rubenstein was a Fellow of the
Harvard Corporation, the governing body of Harvard University, from 2017 to 2023.
Johns Hopkins University In October 2015, Rubenstein donated $15 million to the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to create a new hearing center focused on restoring functional hearing loss. In January 2021, he donated an additional $15 million to the same department to support development of therapeutic approaches to preserve and restore hearing. He is also an Emeritus Trustee of the Johns Hopkins University Board of Trustees.
Cancer research In 2016, he donated $25 million for a
pancreatic cancer center at
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
PBS Rubenstein has donated $10 million to PBS to help fund
Ken Burns documentaries and $5 million to the PBS affiliate in Washington,
WETA, to help fund a new headquarters.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum In May 2022, Rubenstein announced a $15 million donation to the
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to support and expand the growth of its collection. The gift aided in the museum exceeding its $1 billion fundraising goal a year early, and as a result, the museum’s collection previously known as the National Institute for Holocaust Documentation was renamed the David M. Rubenstein National Institute for Holocaust Documentation in his honor. ==Honors and recognition==