Support
Donate Funds
Our donor funds program is a wonderful way to provide the reliable support that is so vital to supporting the foundation, exhibits and our Heroes and Artists-in-Residence program. Preserving and sharing the creative process is an on-going venture; and to successfully accomplish that, we rely on steady, predictable funding. When you make a monthly commitment to the O Street Museum Foundation, it means our curators and staff can remain focused on exploring and sharing all forms of creative expression.
We are a volunteer run, non-profit, sustained primarily by your donations. When you donate funds to O Street Museum you are helping to create extraordinary opportunities for our heroes, artists, musicians and patrons who visit to renew, create and grow.
or text GIVE to (202) 830-1769 to donate with your mobile phone
Donate Time
More than business, O Museum is a way of life. it is not about us, the "house" or our employees, it is about our guests. As a small private museum, we combine art, architecture, literature and inspiration to craft an exhilarating, entertaining experience for all who visit. First and foremost, we strive to put our guests first; immersing them in music, art, literature, architecture and creativity. We create an experience that inspires each and every individual in a positive way. It is a place where dreams come true and where imagination is the rule, not the exception.
As an extension of our family and the creative process, you need to be: selfless, self-motivated, able to follow procedures, flexible, have blind faith, lots of ambition, and drive.
We always have room for creative, passionate, hardworking people. to accommodate a global footprint, many of our teammates telecommute from around the world.
If you have talent or expertise to lend, don't worry about your location. send us your resume, a short video or audio tape (or even your youtube links) on how you think you can help and why you want to join our team.
Applicants that display heart and a desire to learn will be considered for volunteer and docent opportunities.
There are no paid employees or board members. Everyone is a volunteer.
Donate Items or Artifacts
The items you donate - from books, to jewelry, to furniture - when sold, provide critical support for the foundation's operations and programs. 90% of what you see when you visit is donated by patrons like you.
Legacy Giving for O Museum in the Mansion
Why a Legacy Planned Gift?
Those of us dedicated to O Museum in the Mansion provide the spirit that will drive it into the future. We see the Museum as a place of wonder, education, inspiration, refuge, and healing. We want its legacy to be cherished by the generations who follow in our footsteps.
That is why we have established a Legacy Giving Program to which you can contribute through your own personal estate plan. You too can help to ensure the sustainability of the programs, arts and history of the Museum that we have come to love. We hope you will review this opportunity and consider a legacy gift in your estate plan.
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Help us support this sanctuary. We can make a difference.
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“We strive to ensure O Museum has a legacy so future generations can experience the magic and dreams of the artists, musicians, thinkers, and heroes who have passed, and will pass, through its doors.”
— Alvin Stenzel, O Museum Advisory Board Member
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“We are all part of this world’s intricate mosaic, whether celebrated or unsung. In this shared journey, it's about letting go, embracing risks, and opening our hearts. United, we can soar beyond our wildest dreams. Your contribution to our Legacy Giving programs isn't just a gift — it's a testament to the belief that together, we can make a difference. ”
— H.H. Leonards, Founder, O Museum in the Mansion
Making A Legacy Gift
A Legacy Gift (a Planned Gift) is usually included as part of a comprehensive estate plan. There are many sources that can assist you in establishing an estate plan.
O Museum in the Mansion has a Legacy Giving Program which you can contribute to through your estate. You can help ensure the sustainability of the programs and goals that you know we are dedicated to provide. We hope you will review this opportunity and consider a legacy gift in your estate plan. If you have already included a legacy gift in your estate plan, please contact PlannedGiving@omuseum.org to let us know.
How Will My Gift Be Used?
A legacy gift is a gift for the future. Therefore, we established an O Museum Legacy Endowment Fund. This Endowment Fund will invest the funds and use the earnings each year to support Museum programs.
Your Legacy Gift will provide the support that will preserve the Museum as a gift to future generations.
How Will My Gift Be Recognized?
O Museum in the Mansion is deeply grateful for donors who include the Museum in their estate plan. Those donors need to be visibly recognized.
O Museum has established O Museum Legacy Circle to honor those who have promised such a donation. A plaque will be placed in the Museum so that all visitors will see the dedication of our supporters, and those donors will know that they will be remembered and honored always. Of course, anyone not wishing to be recognized by name will be designated as anonymous.
How Can I Get More Information?
There are many ways a legacy gift can be designated. We suggest you contact an estate or tax lawyer to assist you in this process. If you have non-legal questions that can be answered by O Museum, contact PlannedGiving@omuseum.org.
Thank you for your support.
Corporations
Corporations are an important component of the Museum's funding and outreach. Annual revenue from our corporate sponsors provides critical support for the Museum's operations, including community access, diversity initiatives, and conservation efforts.
Aligning your brand with the O Street Museum Foundation offers your corporation a unique opportunity to broaden awareness, meet your marketing goals and build loyal ties in the commuity.
O Street Museum Foundation proudly works with it's sponsors to develop strategic programs that directly support their individual marketing and philanthropic goals, including:
- Art leasing
- Artist in residence
- Client hospitality
- Corporate partner program
- Event & exhibit sponsorship
- Naming
- Philanthropic & in-kind gifts
- Program sponsorship
Naming Opportunities
We believe in celebrating your good work. By making a significant donation to the O Street Museum Foundation you or your organization could be honored through many of our naming opportunities:
- Anniversary Concert
- Building
- Museum Programs Including:
- Artist-in-Residence
- Heroes
- Jammin'
- Room Dedication
- Intimate Music & Speakers Series
Be Inspired
Gerald Johnson's art can be found in the National Gallery of Art, The White House, and the Treasury Department, as well as over three hundred corporate collections in America, Europe and China.
He was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and now lives in the DC area. He earned his fine arts degree and completed his graduate studies in printmaking and painting at Carnegie-Mellon University and the University of North Carolina.
"The O Museum has challenged my creativity and championed my art. Every artist's dream is to find a receptive audience for their work. Thirty years ago, carrying 10 tiny collages into this mysterious house on O Street I found that audience; always saying "Do what is in your heart."
Mamie Till, close friend of Mrs. Rosa Parks stayed in The Country Room as part of The O Museum's heroes-in-residence program.
Her son Emmett Till grew up on the southside of Chicago in the 1940's. August 25, 1955 he entered a store, purchased some candy and left. The woman at the counter alleged he grabbed her, make crude remarks and wolf-whistled at her. On August 28th, her husband Roy Bryant and his brother-in-law J.W. Milam went to Emmet Till's Uncle's house, where he was staying and kidnapped him. Three days later his mutilated body was found in the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi.
Mamie Till chose to have an open casket funeral for her son to show everyone the horrors of what happened. The Reverend Jesse, a frequent guest of The Mansion when Mrs. Rosa Parks lived here said "With his body water-soaked and defaced, most people would have kept the casket covered. [His mother] let the body be exposed. More than 100,000 people saw his body lying in that casket here in Chicago. That must have been, at that time, the largest single civil rights demonstration in American history."
A month later on September 23, in Milam and Bryant were found not guilty after only an hour of jury deliberation. The tragedy of Emmett Till added fuel to the fire that was the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement.
One hundred days after the murder of young Emmett, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus in Alabama. She said "I thought about Emmett Till, and I couldn't go back [to the back of the bus]." Both Mrs. Parks and Mrs Till-Mobley became tireless civil rights activists.
Both Mrs. Parks and Mrs. Till-Mobley were part of our Heroes-In-Residence Program.
Hailed as the architects of the musical revolution of the Sixties, The Beatles are still considered one of the most prolific bands, ever.
Their success was driven by a combination of factors, including songwriting genius and solid group harmonies that were a hallmark of their recordings.
What set them apart was their steadfast belief that they were the best in the world. Their focus, ambition and hard work were devoted to that belief.
The O Street Museum Foundation shares the creative process of this chart topping band through rare recordings, photos and memorabilia.
This guitar was a wedding gift to H & Ted from Les Paul. In keeping with The Mansion spirit he signed it upside down.
A history of innovation and quality has led Gibson guitars to become the premier supplier of guitars the world over.
Their rich sound, innovative design and legendary models have become classics, and are a testament to Gibson's wide appeal, spanning more than four decades of music styles.
Thanks to the generous donations of Gibson, the O Street Museum Foundation collection includes over 60 signed instruments, played by both famous and wanna-be musicians who love the best, Gibson.
Legendary songwriter, musician, artist and pacifist John Lennon embodies the mission of the O Street Museum Foundation through his own personal journey of evolution and exploration.
Always growing Lennon continued to promote messages of peace and love though his lyrics, music and performance art.
The O Street Museum Foundation is proud to continue his efforts and pay tribute to this visionary with a collection that includes art, architecture, letters and rare studio performances that showcase his genius.
Our support of Jonhn Lennon's mission extends beyond the O Street Museum Foundation. When The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame needed help funding an exclusive exhibit focused on John Lennon, the O Street Museum Foundation's founder raised $1m in cash and another $500,000 in-kind networking equipment to help bring this exhibit to life.
Korean War veteran Davie Heck (the soul of The Mansion) worked for the Maryland Parks Department after completing his military service. Transitioning from military to civilian life can be a challenge and Davie fell on hard times,relying on alcohol and drugs to get him through. When he was arrested for passing out in his car on the highway, he was put in jail and then sent to a halfway house, where a kind judge suggested to his parole officer he come here to work during the day. Wanting to help himself, at the end of his service there, he reached out to us for a place to stay, at no cost.
Davie lived here for 25 years before he passed. His warm smile and genuine personality became a mainstay and beacon of hope for all those who came to The Mansion and O Museum. Davie entered our life, and became our saving grace.
Nothing in life is random. There is a reason for everything. Its all about saying yes to what God brings you.
Become a Sponsor
Expressing love is a risk. Same with opening our doors with our on-going artists and heroes-in-residence program. But for those of us who allow our dreams to transform and become reality, there is no risk. By helping others, by sharing our world, what may be risk to some is simply the pursuit of passion and mission to us.
When you sponsor a hero and/or artist you are helping to provide them an opportunity to rest, recover, and rediscover their heart and muse. By offering respite to artists, service people, first responders and all those who are giving of themselves to serve others, we can give them hope - and each of us - a chance to renew, create and grow.
Harness The Power of Good
Harness The Power of Good: Partner with O Museum to raise money for your cause.
What is a charity shopping spree?
It is a fundraiser where O Museum gives back to non-profit organizations. It is easy! Your members shop in the O Museum on-line store during their designated 48 hour period and put in their special code at check-out and we will donate 10% - 20% (depending on the item) of their purchase to your charity. There is no cost to your organization.
Who is eligible?
Any registered non-profit organization or school. This includes church groups, charities and more.
When are they held?
A charity spree can be held during any 48 hour period of your choice.
How does a shopping spree work?
Save the date. Contact us via e-mail with the date you would like to host your shopping spree and we will give you a code for your charity to use.
Spread the word. Create a graphic (or we will give you one) that includes your shopping code and a link to the museum store to promote your event. Be sure to distribute your shopping code and the link on your social channels, in e-mail blasts and on your website - to as many people as possible (we can help you with that too). Remember, the code is
required with each purchase to receive credit for the sale. The more sales you bring in, the bigger your donation!
Shop. During the designated time frame your members will shop and use your special code to raise money for you.
Curbside pick-up or shipping options are available.
Heartfelt Partners
