Donors

A couple pose in a traditional Japanese home with a large doorway that opens into a garden.

Appreciation for the Arts and Nature

For Yuko Uyesugi, The Huntington is more than a destination; it has been a home for reflection, learning, and connection. Each visit has renewed her commitment to share the beauty of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and the tranquility of the gardens.

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Collectors’ Councils Expand Huntington’s Collections

Each year the Art and Library Collectors’ Councils donate funds to help The Huntington acquire new objects to expand its collections. Alexandra Patsavas Rosenfeld, chair of the LCC, and Kirsten Hansen, chair of the ACC, are leading the way.

Three people stand together smiling, holding two tiles.

Gift of Friendship: Doyle Lane’s Tiles at The Huntington

For many years the Sanchez family had two remarkable tiles that were gifts from noted California ceramist Doyle Lane, who experimented with glazes and glazing techniques. And now these stunning tiles are coming to The Huntington.

A smiling person in a pink floral shirt stands near water in a green garden.

A Place of Inspiration and Discovery

Susan Napier, a member of The Huntington’s Society of Fellows, describes how the institution’s mission aligns with her values, and shares her love of the gardens, collections, and programs.

Three people look at an open book in a library.

Donors Fund Acquisition of Momentous Book

Lee and John Devereux joined 19 other donors to fund the purchase of a rare medical publication for The Huntington: a 1543 first edition of De humani corporis fabrica, which revolutionized the field of anatomy.

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Floral Reunion: Nancy and Charlie Munger Orchids

A moniker recently bestowed on an exceptional plant represents the sweet and serendipitous reunion of two beloved Huntington benefactors. Earlier this year, The Huntington named an orchid hybrid for Charlie Munger, whose wife Nancy was similarly honored after she passed away.

Two parents stand with their young children in a garden.

Members Lily Bu and Jan-Michael Medina

Lily Bu and Jan-Michael Medina don’t live far from The Huntington now, but when they were undergraduates at UCLA, they’d often make the drive from Westwood to visit. “The Huntington made such a positive impression on us back then,” Medina says.

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Members Mitchell Barnhart and Amado Sierras

Mitchell Barnhart and Amado Sierras lived in Pasadena for 35 years before moving north to Pebble Beach. Despite the distance, they remain loyal Members. “What makes The Huntington so special is its everyday accessibility,” Barnhart says.

A smiling couple stands in a green garden.

Members Jack Flemming and Julia Heins

Jack Flemming and Julia Heins became Sustaining Members in 2022. “In many ways, The Huntington has served as a backdrop to our relationship,” Flemming says. They spent the early months of their relationship at The Huntington, walking around and getting to know each other.

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Philip D. Nathanson Endows Curator of Photography

Early in 2024, Philip D. Nathanson endowed The Huntington’s curator of photography position. “I donated because The Huntington has enriched my life,” Nathanson says. “It was time to give back.”

Two people stand next to a tree with a thin trunk.

Devoted to the Desert Garden

Bernie and Miyako Storch were wild about The Huntington’s Desert Collections. Avid horticulturists and rare fruit growers, the Santa Barbara couple planned their frequent visits to The Huntington around Los Angeles meetings of botanical interest groups in which they were members.

Two people pose next to an art piece on a wall.

Dijkstras and The Huntington: A Wonderful Romance

Over their 16 years of involvement with The Huntington, San Diego collectors Sandra and Bram Dijkstra have donated several key artworks that have greatly strengthened The Huntington’s American art holdings.

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Forging Relationships and Paving New Paths

Over the years, Ed and Carol Wong have worn many hats: executives, parents, grandparents, and benefactors. And now, they have proudly added another title to their résumé: docents.

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A Blueprint for Scholarly Access

Libby Motika’s inspiration to create The Elizabeth B. Motika Fellowship in Architectural History was fueled by various factors: her extensive experience as a journalist writing about architecture, her time spent residing in the architecturally rich city of Chicago, and her familiarity with The Huntington’s architectural archives.

A person sits in a wooden pavilion with a stream in the background.

Cherol Nellon

Cherol Nellon, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, finds tranquility and beauty tucked away in The Huntington’s gardens. At the top of her “secret menu” list is the Pavilion of Washing Away Thoughts, which is nestled between the Chinese and Japanese gardens. “When you’re sitting in the pavilion, it is as if you have been transported into another time,” Nellon says. “The entire hustle-and-bustle world seems to fall away, and it just doesn’t get any better than that.”

A family sits on a concrete bench in a garden, smiling for the camera.

Mary and Chris Cole

Mary and Chris Cole became Sustaining Members in 2013 and increased their Membership level to Contributor soon thereafter. Mary and Chris both grew up in the area and visited The Huntington many times as kids, so they wanted to carry on that tradition with their two children, Beatrice and Charlie.

Cultivating an Abundant Future

The Huntington’s numerous education programs interpret the collections and promote lifelong learning to a broad audience. Now, with the development of the Experiential and Teaching Gardens, The Huntington has vital new tools with which to cultivate increased understanding around themes of sustainability.

A couple stand in front of a partially-built Japanese house.

Sustained by Tradition

Moving a 320-year-old, 3,000-square-foot house some 6,000 miles is no small feat, but Yohko and Akira Yokoi entrusted the massive undertaking to The Huntington. Through the couple’s donation of their ancestral home, generations of visitors will have insights into Japanese culture and history, as well as traditional architectural, agricultural, and sustainability practices.

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