Dear Museum friends,
Happy Summer!
This month, one theme rises above all others: people. The Palo Alto Museum exists because of people who care deeply about this community—those who share their stories, volunteer their time, contribute their expertise, participate in events, and invest in a vision larger than themselves. Whether we’re telling stories to kids at Magical Bridge Playground or discussing with the Palo Alto Club how great museums around the world create memorable and meaningful impact, people are at the heart of everything we do.
So we want to seize this moment to celebrate remarkable people. I have been fortunate to work alongside Board Chair Nelson Ng, whose thoughtful leadership, abiding optimism, and deep love of Palo Alto continue to guide us forward. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to retiring board members Joe Huber, Bardy Wallace, and Lanie Wheeler, and to longtime volunteers Luana Staiger and Susan Beall. Their wisdom, generosity, and dedication have shaped this Museum in lasting ways, and we are profoundly grateful.
Sincere thanks to each of you who continue to add your energy, voice, and support to the Museum’s initiatives and community events. This month we warmly invite you to bring your kids to Joanna Ho’s outdoor storytime, imagine the future through Palo Alto 2044, or support the Museum at a Birge Clark garden experience.
Connecting and moving forward together is especially vital as we step forward boldly into the Museum’s pivotal next chapter. Over the past months, we’ve worked closely with technical experts to understand the series of water intrusion issues that unexpectedly emerged in our historic Roth Building basement—challenges that delayed our much-anticipated public opening this past Spring. After extensive research, data collection, and analysis with experts and advisors, we now have a clear understanding of the causes and a practical path forward. We are partnering with the City of Palo Alto to finalize the repair plan, and share the funding costs for this critical work. Once we receive necessary City approvals, then we will be able to commence the work, plus set an opening date.
One significant hurdle remains: as an independent non-profit leasing the City-owned Roth Building, the Museum must raise $350,000 to complete these repairs and remediation. These are essential to protect the building and collections and to restore the building for full community use.
This month, we are launching the final phase of our Opening Campaign, and I hope you’ll consider donating to bring the Museum’s vision fully to life—preserving one of Palo Alto’s architectural treasures and opening the doors to a dynamic new community institution. The encouraging news is that our inaugural exhibitions, educational programs, collections stewardship, family programs, and community events are all ready to move forward. With strong community support, opening the Museum is within reach!
Thank you for being part of this journey. Every conversation, every collaboration, every event, every volunteer hour, and every donation brings us one step closer to opening the doors of a museum that belongs to all of us. I look forward to seeing many of you this summer.
Warmly,
Marguerite Gong Hancock
President & CEO
(Supported by a founding leadership gift of the Thoits Family)
Image (above left): President & CEO Marguerite Gong Hancock reads a story to children at Magical Bridge Playground.
Image (above right): Marguerite takes a photo with members of the Palo Alto Club.
THIS MONTH AT THE MUSEUM
Behind the Garden Gates: Birge Clark’s Living Legacy
Benefiting the Opening of the Palo Alto Museum
Sunday, June 28, 2026 | 10–11:30 am
Palo Alto (private locations disclosed after registration)
Space is limited. Advance reservations and purchase of tickets required.
Join architect Dan Garber for an intimate Sunday morning journey through the private gardens of historic Birge Clark homes, a rare experience benefiting the Palo Alto Museum’s Opening Campaign.
Guests will gather in two private gardens, stroll past additional Birge Clark-designed homes, and hear Dan’s insights into the architect’s extraordinary influence on Palo Alto—including the Roth Building at 300 Homer Avenue, home of the Palo Alto Museum.
Light summer fare of French pastries, quiche, seasonal fruit, coffee, and bubbly will be served.
All proceeds support the essential repairs needed to protect the 1932 landmark Roth Building and move toward opening the Museum’s doors to the community.
“It seldom happens that a single architect is so influential that his work actually provides a major component of the image of a city…in Palo Alto with the work of Birge Clark…his hand is to be traced in every range of building in the community.”
–Paula Boghosian, architectural historian, 1979
Image (top): Photo © Marco Zecchin
Image (above left): Architect Birge Clark smiles as he unrolls building plans.
MUSEUM PREVIEW
Help Envision the Future: Palo Alto 2044
PEOPLE IN THE MUSEUM
Nelson’s own story in Palo Alto begins when he arrived in 1982 for a summer internship at Xerox. His professional journey spanned influential technology companies of the past four decades, including Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Microsoft, eBay, and PayPal. Early in his career, he was mentored by Joe Becker—known for his foundational work on Unicode—an experience that sparked his enduring interest in globalization and systems that connect people across languages and cultures.
He often reflects on the arc of his career as a kind of return: his first job and most recent chapter at the Museum are located in Palo Alto. “Real legends came out of Palo Alto,” Nelson said. “I’m proud to be part of the organization that will tell this story.”
Nelson’s connection to Palo Alto extends well beyond his professional life. His wife, Kimberley Wong, is one of three generations of her family to attend local public schools, including Addison Elementary, Greene Middle School, and Palo Alto High School. Since 2014, he has taught tai chi at the Rinconada Library and continues to deepen his practice through regular study and travel to China.
For Nelson, these experiences reinforce a deep sense of place and responsibility. “Palo Alto is a very special town. The people are what make it unique,” he said. It is this conviction—rooted in both global perspective and local commitment—that informs his leadership of the Palo Alto Museum.
Departing board members and volunteers
At the final board meeting of this fiscal year this month, we will bid a fond farewell to three extraordinary board members whose dedication, wisdom, and service have enriched the Museum in countless ways.
Long-time volunteers Luana Staiger who has led our database efforts for several years and Susan Beall who has spearheaded a variety of fundraising initiatives also are completing their service.
Together, Joe, Bardy, Lanie, Luana, and Susan have generously shared their time, talents, and love for Palo Alto, serving the Museum through important years of development and achievement. We are profoundly grateful for their service and delighted that they will remain part of the Museum family in the years ahead.
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A Museum shaped by, with, and for the community
In 2026, the Palo Alto Museum will bring to life a historic landmark as a vibrant place to discover, connect, and create. Through dynamic exhibits, events, and experiences for all ages, we will learn from our past, strengthen our community today, and inspire a brighter future.
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