Princeton University Art Museum Announces Annual Benefit Gala

Midnight in the Garden
Proceeds to Support Community Education Programs
February 4, 2012
PRINCETON, NJ – Inspired by the upcoming exhibition Princeton and the Gothic Revival: 1870–1930, the Princeton University Art Museum will present its annual benefit Gala on Saturday, February 4, 2012. This year’s event, Midnight in the Garden, will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Art Museum, followed by dinner and dancing at 8 p.m. at Prospect House, adjacent to the Museum on the University campus. Presented by the Friends of the Museum, the Gala provides essential financial support for the Museum’s community education programs.

Midnight in the Garden unites art and architecture and revels in the beauty of the natural world, celebrating the impact that the Victorian-era Gothic Revival movement had in shaping the extraordinary built environment of Princeton University, including Prospect House and its landmark gardens. Cochairs for the 2012 Gala Monica George and Joan Smaus are joined by a committee of dedicated volunteers, including national cochairs Mr. and Mrs. James E. Burke and Susan and John Diekman.

“The evening will be a salute to the Gothic Revival architecture—including Prospect House—that defines Princeton’s campus,” said Smaus. “Midnight suggests the magic and mystery of the time, while Garden is a ‘tip of the hat’ to the Prospect House gardens and to floral designs of the era.”

“In addition to being a highlight of the Princeton social calendar, the Gala is a wonderful opportunity to draw attention to the Museum’s exhibitions and to the importance of our educational activities, including our service to the wider community,” said Museum Director James Steward. “The funds raised by the Gala provide critical support toward our goal of making great art and great arts education accessible to visitors from throughout the region and beyond—including every Princeton University student, thousands of K to 12 students, and all members of the greater Princeton community—through programs designed to promote the appreciation of diverse cultures and traditions and to excite the imagination.”

“Set against a backdrop of midnight blue textiles and brilliant garlands of flowers, the Gala will recreate the atmosphere of the Victorian age,” George said. “Both the cocktail reception and the dinner will include period food and drink.” The featured work of art for the evening is a masterwork from the Museum’s holdings, Edward Burne-Jones’s stained glass panel Saint Cecilia, a highlight of the Victorian era for its intense color palette and languorous beauty.

Tickets may be purchased to attend both the reception and dinner, or to attend the cocktail reception only. Sponsorship packages, including multiple tickets and a range of additional recognition opportunities are available, as are advertisements in the Gala dinner journal.

The Museum is grateful to the following early sponsors for their leadership support: Susan and John Diekman, Class of 1965; Bloomberg; Mr. and Mrs. James E. Burke; Mrs. Donald G. Fisher; Heather and Paul Haaga, Class of 1970; Cardinal Partners; Catherine and David Loevner, Class of 1976; Lori A. Martin and Christopher L. Eisgruber, Class of 1983; Christopher E. Olofson, Class of 1992; PNC Wealth Management; Judith and William Scheide, Class of 1936; Frederick Fisher & Partners Architects; Glenmede Trust Company; Cheryl and Elliot Gursky; Princeton Tour Company; Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton; and Enea and David Tierno.

For more information about Midnight in the Garden, or to purchase tickets or advertisements, please contact Patricia Veerasamy in the Friends office by telephone at (609) 258-4057, or email jveerasa@princeton.edu. A portion of each ticket is a tax-deductible, nonrefundable contribution to the Princeton University Art Museum.About the Princeton University Art Museum Founded in 1882, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the nation’s leading art museums. Its collections feature more than 72,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary, and concentrating geographically on the Mediterranean regions, Western Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The Museum’s collections are particularly strong in Chinese painting and calligraphy, art of the ancient Americas, and pictorial photography.

Committed to advancing Princeton’s teaching and research missions, the Art Museum serves as a gateway to the University for visitors from around the world. The Museum is intimate in scale yet expansive in scope, offering a respite from the rush of daily life, a revitalizing experience of extraordinary works of art, and an opportunity to delve deeply into the study of art and culture.

The Princeton University Art Museum is located at the heart of the Princeton campus, a short walk from the shops and restaurants of Nassau Street. Admission is free. Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Free highlight tours of the collections are given every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. The Museum is closed Mondays and major holidays. 

For more information please contact Becky E. Adamietz-Deo at (609) 258-5662 or (609) 216-2547 or visit the Museum’s Web site.