Abby and Doug Bennett, with the Sands Family Foundation, give $3 million to support permanent free access—and invite others to join their challenge.
Thanks to civic leader Abby Bennett and Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) and University of Rochester Trustee Doug Bennett ’06S (MBA), and the Sands Family Foundation, the University’s art museum is halfway to its goal of offering free admission to everyone who walks through its doors.
The Bennetts and the foundation have committed $3 million to establish the Abby and Doug Bennett and Sands Family Foundation Free for All Endowment. Once the museum raises $6 million for this initiative, it can offer free admission to all visitors permanently. To reach this milestone, the Bennetts and the Sands Family Foundation invite other arts patrons and generous members of the Rochester community and beyond to join them in meeting this challenge.
Donor commitment to access
“Bringing our kids to MAG has been one of our favorite things to do with them,” says Doug Bennett. “They have learned to engage with art in their own ways, and we have built unforgettable memories as a family. We feel strongly that every family in this region deserves the same opportunity to have these experiences and make these kinds of memories—and we want to encourage them to do so by eliminating the costs of admission.”
“The Bennetts and the Sands share our vision—removing the economic barrier of an admission fee is the single most important action we can take to ensure that generations of community members receive the profound benefits of MAG’s collection and educational programs,” says Sarah Jesse, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director of the Memorial Art Gallery. “Rochester is a city that thrives on creativity and community, but access to the arts remains unequal.”
University President Sarah Mangelsdorf, a devoted fan of the arts, believes museums are essential to our collective understanding of history and the human experience. “We extend our deep gratitude to Doug and Abby and to the Sands Family Foundation for making MAG—one of Rochester’s most beloved institutions—more accessible to residents and visitors alike.”
Why free admission matters
Over the years, MAG’s admission fee has gradually increased—reflecting a broader nationwide trend among peer cultural institutions. Today’s adult admission fee is $20, which is cost-prohibitive for many community members, and as Jesse notes, “contradicts the public-spirited, educational mission of the museum.” She says, “We’ve seen clear evidence that when we remove economic barriers, people respond,” adding that the museum’s free days draw more than six times their typical attendance.
Doug underscores that this gift sets the standard for what museums can and should be: welcoming, inclusive, and transformational. “In 1913, Emily Sibley Watson gifted the museum to the University, entrusting that it would remain ‘a means alike of pleasure and education for all the citizens of Rochester.’ Free admission fulfills that promise—and extends it to every family, student, and neighbor.”
About the Bennetts and the Sands Family Foundation
The Bennetts and the Sands Family Foundation are long-time supporters of the University. The Bennetts are members of the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society. They provide sustaining annual support to MAG and Simon Business School, and they are also generous supporters of Golisano Children’s Hospital. In addition to his role as a trustee for the University and MAG, Doug is a member of the Simon Campaign Advisory Council and the MAG Board of Managers, and he chairs the MAG component of the For Ever Better campaign.
The Sands Family Foundation, led by cochairs Richard Sands, a University trustee emeritus, and Robert Sands, supports projects and organizations focused primarily on serving the health, educational, and cultural needs of the community. Each now serves on the board of directors of Constellation Brands, the company their family founded and grew into a leader of the beverage alcohol space. The foundation, its leaders, and the family have provided a variety of support to the University over the years, including at MAG, Simon, and the Medical Center.
In 2022, the Bennetts, the Sands Family Foundation, and Constellation Brands also provided leadership funding to expand MAG’s Centennial Sculpture Park, which is always free and open to the public.
About the University of Rochester’s comprehensive campaign
The donors made this consequential gift toward free access as part of For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester. The $1.75 billion campaign, rooted in the University’s Boundless Possibilitystrategic plan, seeks not only to raise critical funds but also to meaningfully engage 250,000 people—amplifying the University’s impact locally and around the world.
Within the overall campaign, MAG is raising funds to expand access and enhance visitor experiences. Campaign-generated philanthropy will support free admission and community engagement initiatives, while strengthening its exhibitions and collections.
About the Memorial Art Gallery
MAG—one of the few university-affiliated art museums in the country that also serves as a public museum—houses 5,000 years of art history and a permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects. Located in Rochester, New York, the museum offers a year-round schedule of world-class exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, and family activities. Its 14-acre campus and Centennial Sculpture Park are a popular destination for Rochesterians and out-of-town visitors alike.
To find out more and contribute to MAG’s free admission initiative, contact Jamie Beers, Director of Gallery Advancement.
