Myrtle Wreath Society
Giving is one of life’s greatest joys, and inspired giving plans with the Museum create a legacy.
Formed in 2009 to honor friends who make plans for a legacy gift to benefit the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Myrtle Wreath Society now numbers more than 350 members. Society members enjoy an invitation to an annual formal luncheon, invitations to exclusive programs, and recognition in selected publications. No dues or fees are necessary to participate in the Myrtle Wreath Society, but there is an enrollment process. Details regarding your future gift are not required. Complete an enrollment card or contact Julia Smith at jsmith@mfah.org or 713.353.1587 with any questions. Members of the Myrtle Wreath Society play a critical role in ensuring the Museum will remain a vital cultural asset by providing generous resources on which to draw far into the future.
Of the vast treasures in the MFAH collections, the exquisite Greek Myrtle Wreath, a gift of Miss Annette Finnegan in 1937, was carefully selected to represent the society and its members. In ancient Greece, victorious soldiers, athletes, and participants in festival processions wore wreaths fashioned from intertwined leaves. By the Hellenistic period (330–30 BC), the wreaths were made of gold foil; too fragile to be worn, they were created primarily to be buried with the dead as symbols of life’s victories. This exquisite gold wreath embodies the past, present, and future victories of all involved in the MFAH and crowns the heroic friends who comprise the Myrtle Wreath Society.
The official bequest language for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston:
“I, [name] of [city, state, zip], give, devise, and bequeath to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77005 [written amount or percentage of estate] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Tax ID #74-1109655
Myrtle Wreath
Greek, Myrtle Wreath, 330–250 BC, gold, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Miss Annette Finnigan.
Myrtle Wreath Society
► See a listing of members.