# The Phillips Collection The Phillips Collection is an Endowment / Foundation based in Washington, United States. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation - **Headquarters:** Washington, United States - **Region:** North America - **Address:** 1600 21st St NW, Washington, DC 20009, United States - **Founded:** 1921 - **Assets under management:** Undisclosed - **Website:** phillipscollection.org - **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-phillips-collection ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About The Phillips Collection was established in 1921 by Duncan Phillips and his wife, Marjorie Acker Phillips, transforming the family's banking and steel-derived wealth into an enduring cultural institution. Phillips, grandson of Jones and Laughlin Steel Company co-founder James H. Laughlin, created the museum as a memorial to his father and brother, situating it in Washington, D.C.'s Dupont Circle neighborhood as the nation's first dedicated modern art museum. The institution stewards a collection of nearly 6,000 modern and contemporary works alongside an endowment investment portfolio that supports operations. The investment strategy encompasses real estate holdings, including the main museum building at 1600 21st Street NW and the Phillips@THEARC satellite at 1801 Mississippi Avenue SE, and alternative investments. Funding flows from admissions, program fees, endowment income, and private donations, with named benefactors including George Vradenburg and trustee Beatriz Bolton via the Dosal Family Foundation. Jonathan P. Binstock serves as Vradenburg Director and CEO, leading the institution while also sitting on the boards of the Association of Art Museum Directors and the American Federation of Arts. In 2025, Julie Garcia was elected Chair of the Board of Trustees, succeeding Chair Emeritus John Despres. The museum is a member of the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium, anchoring its professional network within the Washington institutional community. Structurally, The Phillips Collection blends a private family legacy with a public-facing museum and an active investment office, a model that separates the operating entity from the permanently endowed collection. This architecture allows the institution to pursue alternative investments without the liquidity demands of a grantmaking foundation, preserving the collection's independence while funding exhibitions and community programming in a second century of operation. ## Sectors - Real Estate - Alternative Investments ## Offices - 1801 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020 ## People - Jonathan P. Binstock — Vradenburg Director and CEO - Julie Garcia — Chair of the Board of Trustees - John Despres — Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees - George Vradenburg — Honorary Chairman ## Questions ### Who runs investment decisions at The Phillips Collection? Oversight rests with the Board of Trustees, chaired as of 2025 by Julie Garcia, operating through committee structures typical of endowed cultural institutions. CEO Jonathan P. Binstock manages institutional strategy but investment committee members are not publicly named. The museum's endowment portfolio includes alternative investments and real estate, per the Altss research record. ### Is The Phillips Collection's endowment managed internally or externally? The administrative structure is not publicly detailed, but as a mid-sized museum endowment it almost certainly employs external managers across traditional and alternative asset classes. The institution's CEO maintains board connections with the Association of Art Museum Directors and American Federation of Arts, networks where peers share investment governance models, though specific mandates remain private. ### How is The Phillips Collection's real estate portfolio structured within the endowment? The institution holds at least two commercial properties: the main museum at 1600 21st Street NW and the Phillips@THEARC facility at 1801 Mississippi Avenue SE, both in Washington, D.C. These operating assets house the collection and programs, making them mission-critical real estate rather than purely investment properties, though they represent significant capital on the balance sheet. ### What is the succession plan for governance at The Phillips Collection? Recent leadership transitions offer the clearest signal: Julie Garcia was elected Board Chair in 2025, succeeding John Despres, who now holds the Chair Emeritus title. George Vradenburg, a major benefactor for whom the CEO role is named, serves as Honorary Chairman. This layered governance—active chair, CEO with external board commitments, and emeritus roles—provides continuity typical of multi-generational cultural institutions. ## Related profiles - [The Pension Plan of The United Church of Canada](https://altss.com/profile/the-pension-plan-of-the-united-church-of-canada) - [The Phoenix Companies, Inc. Employee Pension Plan](https://altss.com/profile/the-phoenix-companies-inc-employee-pension-plan) --- Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/the-phillips-collection Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology