Exhibition: Enduring Gifts – 600 Years of Philanthropy in St Andrews

The exhibition Enduring Gifts: 600 years of Philanthropy in St Andrews showcases the many and varied benefactors of, and benefactions to, St Andrews: How and what did they contribute to St Andrews? What were some of their underlying motivations? How has their legacy shaped, and continues to shape, life at the University, for the community of St Andrews, and the world beyond?

Curated by postgraduate students on the University of St Andrews’ Museum and Gallery studies course, the exhibition draws attention to key philanthropists throughout each of the six centuries of the University’s existence, points to the frequently underexplored roles played by women in philanthropy, and highlights some of the more subtle ways in which philanthropy has manifested itself across St Andrews. Visitors will learn about the stories of prominent local landmarks, such as the gift of Younger Hall by Scottish brewery dynasts and local residents James and Annie Younger, formerly anonymous donations to St Andrews by individuals such as Edward Harkness, one of the least well-known major American philanthropists of the 20th Century, as well as some of the more surprising gifts: 1,000 cherry trees donated by Zenya Hamada in 1975 that can be found across the town and blossom every May.

For opening times and further information about the accompanying programme of events, please visit https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/musa/whatson/