Updated:
Menil Foundation
The Menil Foundation was established in 1954 by John and Dominique de Menil. The founders' wealth originated from the oil services industry through...
Menil Foundation
The Menil Foundation was established in 1954 by John and Dominique de Menil. The founders' wealth originated from the oil services industry through Schlumberger. The foundation operates The Menil Collection as its primary vehicle. The foundation deploys capital across real estate holdings and private fund commitments. Confirmed positions include limited partnership interests in Commonfund Capital Private Equity Partners VI and Commonfund Capital Venture Partners VII. It maintains direct ownership of the Menil Collection Campus, Menil House, Menil Drawing Institute, and over 35 bungalows in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston. Geographic focus centers on the United States with all disclosed assets located in Texas. The foundation employs 108 professionals. It maintains an endowment valued at 507 million dollars as of June 2024 tax filings. November 2023: Sponsored the International Society of Surrealism Conference in Houston. Adjacent vehicles include the independent Rothko Chapel and ties to the Dia Art Foundation through family members. The foundation's structure centers on direct ownership of a museum campus and related real estate rather than external manager relationships. Governance flows through Menil Foundation, Inc. as the operating entity. This architecture ties investment decisions closely to collection stewardship and site preservation.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1954
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Houston
Corporate office
1533 Sul Ross Street, Houston, TX, United States
Principals
Louisa Stude Sarofim
President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Menil Foundation?
Louisa Stude Sarofim serves as president. The foundation retains Prime Buchholz LLC as investment advisor since 2012 and Fayez Sarofim & Co. for additional advisory services.
Does Menil Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The foundation holds limited partnership interests in Commonfund Capital Private Equity Partners VI, LP and Commonfund Capital Venture Partners VII, LP. It also owns real estate assets directly through Menil Foundation, Inc.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
John and Dominique de Menil founded the foundation. Their wealth originated from Schlumberger Limited stock in the oil services sector.
What investment stages does Menil Foundation typically target?
Disclosed commitments target buyout, growth, venture, and secondaries strategies through Commonfund vehicles.
How is Menil Foundation related to Rothko Chapel?
John and Dominique de Menil founded the Rothko Chapel. It now operates as an independent foundation but remains closely linked to the Menil Foundation.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: