LEGACY SOCIETY | June 2025

The Carol and Robert Warren Endowment Fund

A longtime Native art collector and supporter of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC), Carol Warren, and her husband, Robert, established a generous endowment for the museum in their will before they passed. The endowment was established for MIAC's general use and for the care of the Warren art collection which they donated to the museum over the last decade.

Carol dedicated 26 years of her life to volunteering at MIAC including 17 years in collection development. Her passion for Native art and culture became a legacy, culminating in the establishment of the Warren Collection. This personal collection of pottery, paintings, sculptures, and jewelry stands as a testament to Carol's lifelong commitment to preserving and celebrating Native American heritage.

Lauren Paige, Director of Development for the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture says, “We are so grateful to Carol and Robert for this generous gift of a major endowment. In difficult economic times it’s significant for MIAC to have distributions from these

endowments to support exhibition development, educational programming, collections care and acquisitions”. (This includes the archaeological collections at the ARC).

The Warren’s add to MIAC’s growing endowments which include the Della Warrior Endowment Fund. Della Warrior (Otoe-Missouria) was the Executive Director of MIAC for eight tremendous years. One of Della’s major goals as Director was to grow MIAC’s endowments to $1 million in principle invested. The Museum of New Mexico Foundation established the Della Warrior Endowment Fund upon her retirement to help meet that goal. Two donors have each pledged $100,000 to the endowment fund to match any and all contributions, up to $200,000. You can contribute to this important fund by visiting the Della Warrior Endowment Fund webpage or contact Lauren Paige, Director of Development for the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture at 505.982.2282 or lauren@museumfoundation.org.

Major gifts such as these allow the museum to fund exciting exhibits such as Makowa: the Worlds Above Us, opening June 1. This exhibit offers a unique, immersive experience that explores how Indigenous peoples of the Southwest have connected with the sky through art, science, and storytelling. Click here to learn more.

 

We’re Here to Help

If you are considering a legacy gift, we encourage you to contact Laura Sullivan, Director of Planned Giving, at 505.216.0829/ laura@museumfoundation.org. Together, we can preserve the stories, traditions, and artistry that define New Mexico’s rich cultural heritage. Thank you for considering this powerful way to give back. We are happy to assist you through the process and ensure your wishes are honored.

When you make a future gift to the museum, as a legacy member, you join the continuum of support that’s crucial to keeping these New Mexico treasures available for generations to come. Please join our growing Legacy Society today!

The Foundation provides a way for private funds to be directed to three vital areas of cultural support: education, collections and exhibitions.

When you notify us that you are including the Foundation, or one or more of the cultural institutions we support, in your estate plan, we celebrate you with a membership in our Legacy Society. Membership includes invitations to exclusive gatherings and special recognition at all our museums.