Thank you notes. Copies of hundreds and hundreds of hand written, personalized thank you notes, jam packed and bound into sturdy 4″ cloth covered binders that are labeled “datebooks”.
These notes were all written by Lyndel King, Director of the University Gallery and Weisman Art Museum (WAM) since 1975. King was director during the fundraising campaign and building process of the iconic Gehry-designed museum, which opened in 1993. The notes of gratitude contained in these “datebook” binders were written in 2010 to the many donors responsible for funding the 8,100 square foot addition to WAM.
Stewarding the relationships that make art collections and museums possible is just one of the many behind-the-scenes, and often thankless, duties of a museum director. These notes show grace, expertise and a passionate commitment to WAM. I can only imaging the time and effort she put into ensuring every donor was appropriately and personally thanked for their contribution.
A big thank you to Lyndel King for her efforts and achievements on behalf of WAM, the arts, the UMN community and beyond.
Paging through a “datebook” of correspondence including personalized thank you notes from Lyndel King to donors.
Special thanks to Liz Kammerer and Mark Yechout for their help in making the gif for this post.
—Heather Carroll is the processing archivist for the Weisman Art Museum‘s collection at the University of Minnesota Archives. This project was made possible by funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.