WEM is a catalyst for creative action.

Esherick’s joyful, handcrafted Studio is a total work of art, from the building itself to the light switches inside. An autobiography in three dimensions, WEM represents Esherick’s artistic home, a home to his truest expression of self and his boundless creativity. Your support ensures the preservation and celebration of Esherick’s legacy for generations to come.

GIVE TODAY

Donate

Monthly Giving

Matching Gifts

Planned Gifts

More Ways To Give

Membership

Monthly Giving Program

Wharton Esherick Museum’s Monthly Giving Program members provide ongoing, monthly financial support that ensures a steady resource we know we can count on. Your monthly support helps us protect this historic site and artistic legacy, and engage the next generation of Wharton Esherick fans.

Workplace Giving & Employer Matching

Many employers match contributions made to charitable organizations, doubling or even tripling your gift. Often, your spouse’s employer will match personal contributions as well. Please contact your company’s HR department for information and necessary forms. Remember to ask if your company matches volunteer hours!

“[People] are inspired by his life as much as his work,
he continues to resonate down through the generations.”

– Paul Eisenhauer, former WEM Director and Co-Author of Wharton Esherick and the Birth of American Modern
from the documentary “An American Craftsman: Wharton Esherick”

Planned Gifts

A planned gift to Wharton Esherick Museum in your will or living trust helps ensure that we continue our mission for years to come. 

Bequests

One simple sentence can create a lasting legacy.

One of the easiest ways to make a planned gift to the Wharton Esherick Museum is to specify that a bequest be made to the Museum in your will or trust, either a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate. 

Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor and provide the following sample language:

“I bequeath to the Wharton Esherick Museum [Tax ID: 23-1877555, P.O. Box 595, Paoli, PA 19301-0595] a gift of $_________________ (specific dollar amount) or ____________ % of my estate to be used where it is determined the need is greatest.”

Beneficiary Designation

Make a Gift in a Few Easy Steps

Name the Wharton Esherick Museum as the beneficiary on an IRA retirement plan, investment account, life insurance policy, or donor-advised fund.

It is simple to name Wharton Esherick Museum as a beneficiary. Start by requesting a change-of-beneficiary form from your policy administrator or download the form from your provider’s website. Make your desired changes and return the form to establish your gift.

Wharton Esherick Museum
Federal tax ID number: 23-1877555
Attn: Director of Development
P.O. Box 595, Paoli, PA 19301-0595

Giving From Your IRA

A Special Opportunity for Those 70½ Years Old and Older

Make a difference today and save on taxes. It is possible when you support the Wharton Esherick Museum through your IRA.

You can give any amount (up to a maximum of $105,000 per spouse) this year from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as the Wharton Esherick Museum without having to pay income taxes on the money. Gifts of $105,000 or less are eligible for this benefit and you can feel good knowing that you are making a difference at the Wharton Esherick Museum. This popular gift option is commonly called the IRA charitable rollover, but you may also see it referred to as a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, for short.

Things to know:

Gifts made with this strategy are tax-free to the donor, subject to the rules described below:

  • You must be at least 70 ½ at the time of the distribution to charity.
  • The distribution must come from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).
  • Gifts from other retirement vehicles (such as 401(k) or 403(b) will not be tax-free but may entitle the donor to a charitable deduction. Check with your administrator.
  • You can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD), beginning in the year you turn 73.
  • We must receive your gift by Dec. 31 for your donation to qualify this year. If you have check-writing features on your IRA, please be aware that your check must clear your account by Dec. 31 to count toward your required minimum distribution for the calendar year.

If you have included the Wharton Esherick Museum in your long term financial and estate plans, please let us know so we can welcome you to our community.

More Ways to Give

Donor Advised Fund

A donor-advised fund is a simple, flexible and tax efficient way to give to your favorite charities, including the Wharton Esherick Museum.  It also serves as a meaningful way to strengthen your family’s tradition of philanthropy.  Contact your DAF holder and request a grant distribution. Be sure to use Wharton Esherick Museum’s EIN # 23-1877555

Contact Us Today
If you have any questions about supporting WEM or would like additional information, please reach out to Jennifer Koenig, Director of Development, at (610) 644-5822 or [email protected]

If you include Wharton Esherick Museum in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID.

Legal name: Wharton Esherick Museum
Address: P.O. Box 595, Paoli, PA 19301-0595
Federal tax ID number: 23-1877555

Disclaimer: Please consult with your financial and/or legal advisors to determine which type of gift is best for you and for legal requirements regarding these gifts.

The Wharton Esherick Museum is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and your contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Photography by Joshua McHugh