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Ways To Support SAM

Ways To Support SAM

You can make a positive impact through your generosity by contributing to our artistic, educational, and cultural programming. Please consider becoming involved as a supporter of SAM.

SAM Fund

SAM Fund

The SAM Fund helps make SAM a vibrant cultural center for the region. Your contribution of any amount supports virtually every area of museum activity and is vital to the museum’s mission of connecting art to life.

Membership is instrumental to everything we do at SAM, yet admission fees and membership dues cover only a portion of the museum’s annual operating costs. Support SAM’s most immediate needs by making a fully tax-deductible donation to the SAM Fund.

Donations to the SAM Fund can be made in honor or memory of someone. To make a memorial or honorary gift, please call 206.654.3258.

Make a contribution today!​​

Program Support

Program Support

Each year, SAM undertakes a number of exciting and innovative projects. Program support from individuals helps SAM create inspiring exhibitions, acquire art, conserve our collection, present stimulating educational programs, and so much more.

You play a crucial role in sustaining SAM and its collections and may designate a gift to one or more of the following suggested areas.

To discuss a possible gift, please email us or call 206.654.3258. We are grateful for your support.

SAM's Collection

SAM offers visitors a dynamic and ever-changing roster of exhibitions and installations throughout the year. The museum periodically periodically changes the displays of work from our collection of 24,000 objects. You can support the entire collection or choose a particular area, such as American art, African art, decorative arts, or contemporary art.

Touring Exhibitions

Touring exhibitions bring the art of the world to Seattle, and often offer relevant and timely perspectives. Your contribution provides much-needed funds for these ambitious and innovative undertakings, including research, gallery design, installation, and educational materials.

SEATTLE Asian Art Museum

The original site of the Seattle Asian Art Museum, this historic Art Deco building in Volunteer Park now houses one of the nation’s premier collections of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean art, as well as important examples of Central and South Asian art. Your gift to the Seattle Asian Art Museum helps enrich the community through exhibitions and programs on classic and contemporary art from across Asia.

Olympic Sculpture Park

SAM’s nine-acre art park along the Puget Sound offers the community year-round free access to a natural space. Help us care for the art, sculptures, and natural landscape, and offer amazing environmental and art programs, with a special gift.

Education and Public Programs

SAM provides a welcoming place for people to connect with art and to consider its relationship to their lives. School & Educator Programs bring art to students in the museum or in the classroom. Public Programs connect everyone with lectures, music, films, and more.​ Family Programs inspire all ages to explore and create art, and Teen Programs invite youth to boldly express their creativity​. 

Conservation

A museum does more than just display art. SAM is committed to preserving our valuable collections for generations to come. Each year, SAM’s expert conservation team provides necessary care and maintenance to numerous works of art on display at the Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the Olympic Sculpture Park, and to many others not currently on view.

Curators

SAM’s exhibitions can take years of planning. Your gift provides critical funds for expenses such as research, travel, and publications.

SAM Libraries

Help us maintain our two research libraries and our lending library for educators. SAM also needs funds to support purchases of both new and older materials that are relevant to the collections and exhibitions. ​​

Planned Giving

Planned Giving

Make an investment in SAM’s future. By making a planned gift to SAM, you recognize the extraordinary value of art in our lives and the generations to come.

For more information, please contact us at 206.654.3222 or email us.

Today, more than ever, SAM is making exceptional works of art accessible and meaningful to a wide public. To do this, SAM needs a strong endowment that will provide a stable source of income and allow SAM to plan for its future. A planned gift, or bequest, becomes a permanent legacy and provides benefits to SAM year after year, generation after generation, nurturing the community’s creative spirit.

Leaving a bequest for SAM is easy. Following is some suggested language for your estate plans:

Specific sum of money: 
“I give to Seattle Art Museum (SAM), currently located at 1300 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, or its successor organization, the sum of (insert here the exact dollar amount).”

Specific property such as real estate, securities, works of art, or other items:
“I give to Seattle Art Museum (SAM) currently located at 1300 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, or its successor organization (insert here a description of the particular property).”

You may also wish to include the Federal Tax #: 91-0640788. Our legal name is Seattle Art Museum.

The Fuller Society

When we learn that SAM is in your estate plans, we will invite you to become a member of The Fuller Society. It is our way of honoring your dedication to the future of SAM. As a member of The Fuller Society, you're invited to join us at exhibition opening events and at a special annual recognition celebration.

Planned gifts of art are also important, as they build the collection for the future.

Seattle Art Museum Supporters (SAMS)

SAMs Supporters 2017

An organization of nearly 200 local women, SAMS works to expand the support of the Seattle Art Museum through fundraising and promotional efforts and to provide educational opportunities for its members.

Support their efforts by attending a SAMS fundraising event such as the Gardens of Art spring fundraiser. Proceeds from SAMS events directly benefit the Seattle Art Museum.

Learn More ​​

Fundraising Events

SAM’s fundraising events are a great way to support the museum while participating in fun and engaging events. Every year, hundreds of thousands of dollars raised from these events support SAM’s artistic, operational, and community engagement programs.

Party in the Park

Party in the ParkParty in the Park

Join SAM for an evening of dazzling art, sublime cuisine, and breathtaking scenery. Party in the Park is an event like no other featuring some of our area’s hottest chefs and most talented artists coming together to create a special evening set against the stunning backdrop of the Olympic Sculpture Park.​

Diwali Ball

Diwali Ball

Celebrate Diwali, India’s festival of lights with SAM. This festive evening includes Bollywood grooves, dance performances, henna, fortunetellers, Indian tapas, exhibition tours, and many more Diwali surprises. ​

For more information about these and other SAM events, email us. ​​​​​​​

 

 

https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/Visit/Calendar/Events?EventID=96340May 2 2024My Dinner with SAM

Foundation & Government Support

Foundation & Government Support

The Seattle Art Museum thanks all of our foundation and government supporters for their generosity to the museum.

The Seattle Art Museum thanks its foundation and government supporters:

IMLS 

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture 

Tateuchi Foundation 

Art Mentor

4Culture​​​​​​​​​

Matching Gifts

Matching Gifts

Did you know that many employers will double your contribution to SAM by matching your contribution dollar for dollar? When combined with your donation, these gifts can double or sometimes even triple your support to SAM. 

Remember, buying a membership counts as a donation and qualifies to be matched! The matching gift does not change your membership level, but rather encourages additional support of the arts.

Stretch your contribution by participating in our matching gift program. ​With your employer's support, you have the potential to double your impact.

Matching your gift is simple

  • Contact your company's Personnel, Human Resources, or Community Relations Department to see if they have a matching gift program.

  • If they do, complete the steps provided by your employer either online or by mail to:

  • Attn: Development
    Seattle Art Museum
    1300 First Avenue
    Seattle, WA 98101-2003​

  • If you've already sent in your payment, you may submit your matching gift form at any time during the course of your membership year.

  • Or email us.​

​​View Participants​​

​SAM Forward

Seattle Asian Art Museum Camel Campaign

SAM Forward is a $150 million campaign which will advance the museum in three key areas: renovating and enhancing SAM's Asian Art Museum, our original home in Volunteer Park; investing in strategic initiatives to support bold new projects which will strengthen our position as an international leader in the arts; and growing our endowment to ensure we are a thriving and dynamic institution, now and forever.

Learn More

IMAGES Photo: Catherine Anstett. Photo: Catherine Anstett. Photo: Catherine Anstett. Installation view of Italian Room, photo: Robert Wade. Installation view of Seattle Cloud Cover, photo: Justin Gollmer. Photo courtesy of Seattle Art Museum Supporters. Installation by Liz Tran, photo: Robert Wade. Photo: Robert Wade. Photo: Team Photogenic. Photo: Catherine Anstett. Photo: Catherine Anstett.


Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

Learn more about Equity at SAM