Mary Ellen Burris makes landmark gift to support free admission at the Memorial Art Gallery
Burris’ $2 million commitment moves MAG closer to permanent free access for all.
The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) is advancing its effort to make general admission permanently free, thanks to a milestone gift from Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM)—a community leader, Warner School of Education and Human Development alumna, and longtime supporter of the University of Rochester. Burris has committed $2 million to the museum’s Free for All Endowment.
Burris’ support builds on the $3 million leadership gift announced in the fall of 2025 from MAG and University Trustee Doug Bennett ’06S (MBA) and Abby Bennett, along with the Sands Family Foundation. Their philanthropy established the Abby and Doug Bennett and Sands Family Foundation Free for All Endowment and serves as a powerful call to action for others to help the museum realize its vision of free admission for all.
“We are deeply grateful to Mary Ellen for investing in this important initiative,” says Sarah Jesse, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director of the Memorial Art Gallery. “She is one of our great local philanthropists, whose generosity and public spiritedness will have a lasting effect on our community and improve the lives of every citizen. We share the conviction that no one should be turned away from the museum for lack of money.”
“The Bennetts’ generosity inspired me to get involved—to do what I could to help everyone have access to this amazing museum,” says Burris. “The Memorial Art Gallery is a treasure in our community, and everyone should have access to it.”
Burris is the former senior vice president of consumer affairs at Wegmans Food Markets, where she spent nearly five decades championing consumer education, food safety, and healthy eating. She is a dedicated advisor and philanthropic partner of the University’s Warner School and a supporter of UR Medicine’s Saunders Center for Orthopaedics & Physical Performance. Her support of MAG’s Free for All Endowment comes at a pivotal moment as the museum works to remove financial barriers to access.
Adult admission at the museum is currently $20—an amount that can pose a barrier for many individuals and families. Attendance data demonstrates the impact of free access: when admission is waived, participation increases dramatically, with free days drawing more than six times the museum’s typical daily attendance.
The Free for All Endowment reflects Emily Sibley Watson’s founding vision when she gifted the museum to the community in 1913—as a place of education and enjoyment for all. For its first 56 years, MAG was free to everyone.
“Through the Free for All Endowment, we have the opportunity to fulfill—and return to—that promise in a lasting way,” Jesse adds. “By eliminating our admission fee for everyone in perpetuity, generations of visitors will be able to enjoy MAG’s extraordinary collection and benefit from a rich cultural education.”
In addition to eliminating the admission fee, MAG is seeking to secure $9 million to expand access to programs such as free school tours and SNAP memberships. The museum is continuing its fundraising efforts to ensure permanent free gallery admission and broaden its offerings.
About the For Ever Better campaign
MAG’s Free for All Endowment is a key priority during For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester—a $1.75 billion campaign, rooted in the University’s Boundless Possibility strategic plan. The campaign seeks not only to raise critical funds but also to meaningfully engage 250,000 people—amplifying the University’s impact locally and around the world.
About the Memorial Art Gallery
MAG—one of the few university-affiliated art museums in the country that also serves as a public museum—houses 5,000 years of art history and a permanent collection of more than 13,000 objects. Located in Rochester, New York, the museum offers a year-round schedule of world-class exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, and family activities. Its 14-acre campus and Centennial Sculpture Park are a popular destination for Rochesterians and out-of-town visitors alike.