One block from Chicago's Magnificent Mile is a major new addition to the city's cultural landscape: the Museum of Contemporary Art. In a stunning new building, itself a testament to contemporary design, the Museum is the first new major cultural institution to be built in Chicago in over 60 years. Now the city can boast a contemporary art forum on par with the many other arts comprising Chicago's vibrant cultural scene.

Before it became a major downtown attraction, the Museum of Contemporary Art was a small, relatively unknown exhibit space. But the Board of Trustees and staff had a vision for the Museum: to become a world-class institution that could attract and exhibit major collections of contemporary art. They sought a venue that could complement the modern art and architecture for which Chicago is famous.

The result was a $55 million capital campaign that catapulted the Museum of Contemporary Art into the international spotlight. With a spacious and inviting new home, the Museum had come of age.

What Made It Happen?

The campaign's success can be traced directly to its exceptionally dedicated, generous and visionary Board of Trustees. Under Skystone Ryan's counsel, and the inspiration of a tireless campaign chair, the Trustees planned and led the campaign, were early givers and were active solicitors. Leading by example, they set the tone for the campaign by contributing over $33 million toward the goal. Their enthusiasm and commitment inspired others to see that the Chicago Contemporary Campaign would be a successful, world-class venture.

Guided by Skystone Ryan and fueled by newfound confidence, the board and staff pursued support from Museum patrons and friends, as well as the corporate community, a sector that had never before given to the Museum. This model campaign was so compelling that the excitement spread from business to business, making companies and individuals eager to underwrite the many rooms, endowments and special gift opportunities available and to help put Chicago on the map as a mecca for contemporary art. The fundraising effort gathered such momentum that in the same month the new building opened its doors, amid a flurry of local and national media attention, the Museum had exceeded its goal by $5 million.