As a non-profit, the Hearst Museum relies on the support of those who believe in our institution as a place where cultures connect (even if it is just virtually for the time being). While our doors are currently closed, we invite you to experience the Hearst From Home. 

Museums have never been more important to us as a source of inspiration as well as a place that will be part of the healing process during this time of uncertainty. We are deeply appreciative of your commitment to the Hearst Museum and want to share how some of the legislation in the new “CARES” Act regarding your 2020 taxes can benefit the Museum. 

Below are some examples of those changes and a reminder of why you should support the Hearst Museum while saving yourself some money on your taxes next year. 

For those who don’t itemize their taxes…

The bill allows for up to $300 in charitable contributions to be an above-the-line deduction, meaning you don’t have to itemize to claim the deduction. Contributions must be cash donation(s) to qualified charities. The museum’s fundraising is supported through the University’s Foundation – Tax ID 94-6090626 

For those who do itemize…

The bill increases the cap on annual giving from 60 percent of adjusted gross income to 100 percent. 

Here is a quick explanation from the New York Times:

As part of the bill, donors can deduct 100 percent of their gift against their 2020 adjusted gross income. If you have $1 million of income, you can give $1 million to a public charity and deduct the full amount in 2020. The new deduction is only for cash gifts that go to a public charity. If you give cash to, say, your private foundation, the old deduction rules apply. And while the organizations that manage donor advised funds are public charities, you do not get the higher deduction for donating cash to your donor advised fund. If your assets are substantial enough that you can give more than your income this year, you won’t lose the deduction for the excess amount. You can use it next year, as has always been the case.

For corporate charitable giving …

The bill raises the annual limit from 10 percent to 25 percent of taxable income for corporations.

This is great news for our donors who are investing in the museum’s work of creating spaces for cultures to connect! Here is your opportunity to give to the museum and support the great work we are doing while saving yourself some money on your taxes!

Dear Friends, 

The Phoebe A. Hearst Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Caroline Jean Fernald to the position of Executive Director. She began her position on September 16.

Dr. Fernald previously served as the Executive Director of the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico, and  worked in collections management at the E. Irving Couse and Joseph Henry Sharp Historic Site, also in Taos. She has taught courses on Native American, Mesoamerican, and South American art history at the University of Oklahoma where she received her doctorate in Native American Art History. 

Fernald joins the Hearst Museum with a deep experience in museum leadership. As director of the Millicent Rogers Museum, she led the institution through its successful reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, grew its permanent collection, and more than doubled income from major gifts and grants. 

As Executive Director, Caroline will lead the Hearst Museum’s mission to be a place where cultures connect with each other in uncommon ways. She will manage the Museum’s day-to-day operations as well as oversee the work of the exhibits, programs, and education divisions. Caroline will lead the Museum’s fundraising efforts and work closely with the Hearst Museum’s Advisory Board. She will also strengthen relationships with the many descendent stakeholder communities the Museum serves in the Bay Area and throughout California. This includes working with the Museum’s Native American Advisory Council, an 11-member body that advises the Hearst on a range of cultural issues.

Dr. Benjamin Porter, the Hearst Museum’s Director since 2015, will roll up to the new position of Hearst Museum Faculty Director. In his new position, Porter will coordinate research and develop new student discovery experiences in the collections. Porter will also lead collections care initiatives and coordinate projects related to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and related cultural policy laws.

Porter, who led the Executive Director search committee, stated that “the committee was unanimous in its decision to offer this important position to Dr. Fernald. Her recent successes in museum leadership and her passion for cultural institutions made her stand out in this competitive search.” Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Linda Rugg offered that “Caroline joins the Berkeley community at an important moment when the campus is taking significant steps to improve its relationships with Native American communities. Caroline’s work here will be deeply valued.”

Please join us in welcoming Caroline to campus!

The Hearst Museum’s former director, Dr. Mari Lyn Salvador, passed away peacefully October 23rd just after a majestic Albuquerque sunset. She died as she lived, with grace and surrounded by family.

Dr. Mari Lyn Salvador

Mari Lyn, a renowned scholar, spent much of her adult life conducting research in the San Blas Islands of Panama and the Azores Islands of Portugal. During a distinguished career as a cultural anthropologist, she was a professor, museum director and generous mentor and colleague. Mari Lyn was particularly devoted to the Phoebe Hearst Museum as it figured meaningfully in the initial and final phases of her career. Serving as director from 2010 to 2015, Mari Lyn initiated multiple projects that enhanced the Museum’s goal to be a place where cultures from around the world connect with each other. These projects included the initiation of a dramatic collections relocation program, the design of a new campus gallery, and the establishment of the Native American Advisory Council that guides the Museum on its relationship with Native American communities. Without a doubt, Mari Lyn’s bold and innovative planning has contributed to the Museum’s recent advancements under her successor, Benjamin Porter.

Mari Lyn is survived by her daughter Melina, son Sergio, their spouses, Tony and Julie and her four cherished grandchildren: Griffin, Foster, Oliver and Matilda. As the eldest of six children, she is also survived by her sisters Louise and Michelle, brothers David, Pat and Michael and their families. Those who knew her will likely remember her love of flowers, good food and celebrating just about anything.

Mari Lyn’s family asks that you honor her by eating some ice cream, spending some time working in a garden and looking for beauty even when it is hard to see.

For further information, please contact:

David Tozer, Hearst Museum Head of Development
dtozer@berkeley.edu | (510) 642-3683