Billionaire David Koch is donating at least $10 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to spiff up the fountains outside its entrance and for "a dramatic upgrade to the museum's exterior lighting, and a full refurbishment of the entire plaza," the Wall Street Journal reports.
Koch, who donated $100 million to Lincoln Center to renovate the NY State Theater (now called the David Koch Theater), said he was inspired by Lincoln Center's new fountain, "They had water shooting 50 feet in the air, flooding the plaza. I was mesmerized." So, at the opening of the Lincoln Center fountain, he found Met president Emily Rafferty, "I went right up to her—I was so fired up—and I said, 'Emily, I want to recreate those fountains!' "
He added, "If you go down Fifth Avenue, that plaza is so dreary. I want to improve the lighting, so that when you pass by at night and look over there, you'll see a beautiful fountain, dancing away." The fountains are landmarks, so the Landmarks Preservation Commission will need to approve changes.
