Alfred Pillsbury examining one of the Chinese bronzes that he donated to the Institute in the 1940s.

Lori Sturdevant ǀ The Pillsbury Neighborhood

Fair Oaks neighborhood, home to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, might have taken its name from the Washburn estate across the street—now Washburn-Fair Oaks Park. But at the time of the MIA’s founding, it was also home to five households of the Pillsbury family. Each was involved in the fledgling MIA, and Alfred Pillsbury became the museum’s most important patron in the first half of the 20th century.

Lori Sturdevant, an editorial writer and columnist for the Star Tribune and author of The Pillsburys of Minnesota (Nodin Press, 2011), will discuss the Pillsburys’ involvement with the MIA as an example of the family’s civic engagement, which set a high bar for Minnesota’s corporate leaders.

To register, call (612) 870-6323 or reserve online.

Alfred Pillsbury examining one of the Chinese bronzes that he donated to the Institute in the 1940s.