Between April and August 2011, "Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass", a collection of Chihuly's work spanning 40 years, was exhibited at the MFA. Director Malcolm Rogers said funds budgeted for museum acquisitions would not be used to purchase the sculpture, stating: "We're offering people an opportunity to play an active role in our future, sending the message that people can make a difference." On July 18, museum staff placed a contribution box by the sculpture and contacted museum members asking for donations. The following week, the museum set up its first mobile contribution program, allowing the public to give $10 by texting "TOWER". The museum also set up its first website where people could contribute funds online. The fundraising drive was only the third time the MFA had made such a public appeal to purchase artwork. The previous times were in 1940, to purchase
Paul Revere's silver liberty bowl, and 1979–1980, to purchase
Gilbert Stuart's portraits of
George and
Martha Washington. Both of those fundraising drives were successful. In October 2011, museum officials announced they had raised the more than $1 million needed to purchase the sculpture. According to museum officials, "thousands of gifts, small and large, were given by first-time visitors and long-time friends, ranging from piggy-bank savings brought in by children to checks written by adults." An estimated 1,000 people put money into the contribution box or mailed cash to the museum. Additional funds were raised by major museum patrons and
foundations, the largest being from a foundation belonging to businessman Donald Saunders and his ex-wife, actress
Liv Ullmann. ==See also==