Generous Donors Pledge Support for Future Education Programs

Uniting their deep passion for both the Barnes and public education in Philadelphia, Stephanie and Michael Naidoff have generously pledged an irrevocable bequest to help sustain the Barnes’s Pre-K–12 education programs in perpetuity as part of the Second Century Campaign. Their philanthropy has long centered upon education funding, and the Barnes is honored to join the list of esteemed institutions bolstered by their benevolence.

Stephanie and Michael joined The Circles, the Barnes’s premier membership program, as founding members in 2012 and are frequent guests at Circles programs and exhibition previews. Stephanie has also served as an integral member of the Ambassadors Board since its inception in 2017; this volunteer committee champions the Barnes’s mission and strategic priorities.

In keeping with Dr. Barnes’s founding commitment to education, the Barnes has engaged close to 82,000 school children in the Philadelphia region and beyond with our renowned collection since 2012—the majority from the School District of Philadelphia, who participate at no charge. Our diverse education programs—multi-visit experiences, single-visit opportunities, special initiatives, and now our virtual Barnes Art Adventures—promote visual literacy, encourage students to make personal connections to art, and reinforce core standards in literacy, math, science, history, and cultural studies.

“We have witnessed the joy and creativity that a visit to the Barnes can spark in students and the significant learning and personal growth that results from its education programs,” said Stephanie. “It provides us enormous satisfaction to know that our gift will contribute to transforming the way that future generations of children see and experience the world around them.”