Dear Museum friends,
Happy March! The heritage camellias outside my window are bursting into bloom, a sure sign of spring.
As I shared last week, winter storms brought water into the Museum’s basement and halted our exhibition installations. Thank you to those who have reached out to express empathy and support. Your encouragement, technical expertise, financial support, and firm belief in our mission are deeply appreciated.
While we steward the historic Roth building and our collection, our team is taking steps every single day toward our grand opening. This newsletter shows some of the exciting offerings at the Museum: art talks, virtual quizzes, leadership gifts, and more.
Whether you visit our grounds, connect with us online, or find us in the community, I invite you to engage with the Museum!
Warmly,
Marguerite Gong Hancock
(Supported by a founding leadership gift of the Thoits Family)
President & CEO
THIS MONTH AT THE MUSEUM
Exploring Victor Arnautoff’s Frescoes
SATURDAY | MARCH 14 | 11 AM – 12 PM
Get up close and personal with newly restored artworks hiding in plain sight. Local expert Nadya Chuprina, Public Art Program Coordinator for the City of Palo Alto, will provide a special public tour of the freshly restored 1932 frescoes Modern and Ancient Medicine by celebrated muralist and Stanford art professor Victor Arnautoff.
Originally painted for the Palo Alto Clinic (a landmark building now home to the Palo Alto Museum!) these stunning artworks spark conversations about medical breakthroughs and what it means to preserve cultural heritage. Meet us in the Museum’s beautiful central courtyard and join our interactive exploration of art, medicine, and innovation. Free admission.
Photo by Marco Zecchin
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
The Thoits Family
We’re grateful to recognize the Thoits Family for their leadership gift of $1 million to fund the Museum’s executive leader, a position now held by inaugural President & CEO Marguerite Gong Hancock. Mementos of the Thoits heritage, including these two photographs and a historic shoehorn, are displayed in the President & CEO’s office.
The Thoits have deep roots in Palo Alto, starting in 1893 when Edward and Elizabeth Thoits moved here to enroll their two sons at brand-new Stanford University. They served the local community for years at the Palo Alto Shoe Store (later Thoits Shoe Store) at University Avenue and High Street. Their store managed to survive the 1906 earthquake, the Great Depression, and a destructive fire in November 1936.
Edward and Elizabeth’s son E.C. was a bachelor with a deep interest in local history. He was a director of the Palo Alto Historical Association, saying, “I am interested in everything the City of Palo Alto has done.” His brother Willis was actively interested in public affairs and was a member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce.
When Willis passed away in 1935, E.C. continued in partnership with Willis’ widow, Hazel, in growing the family’s real estate holdings. Upon E.C.’s death, Thoits Bros., Inc., was formed to acquire his property interests. If you’ve ever seen the Thoits name around Palo Alto, you now know why!
The Museum is so honored to have the support of the Thoits, a 7th-generation Palo Alto family that has shown extraordinary leadership both in business and in the community.
Thank you to Colleen Braff for contributing to this article.
Photos provided by the Thoits Family.
Rotary Club
The oldest civic service club in town, Rotary Club of Palo Alto, is now a founding donor of the Museum. Rotary’s leadership gift of $50,000 is a bold show of support for the Museum as a civic anchor.
“The Rotary Club of Palo Alto, since its founding over 100 years ago, has a strong history of supporting civic landmarks that have become pillars in our community,” said Board President Bruce Gee. “We strongly believe that the Palo Alto Museum follows in this tradition and we are proud to be among the founding supporters.”
Our deepest thanks to Bruce, President-elect Charlie Weidanz, and Board member Judy Kleinberg for helping represent the Rotary Club in making this gift.
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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.