Airbnb Co-Founder Funds New Eames Museum With $25 Million

(MENAFN- USA Art News) A new museum in Northern California's Bay Area, dedicated to design pioneers Charles and Ray Eames, has secured more than $25 million in initial funding from Joe Gebbia, a co-founder of Airbnb, according to a report by SFGATE. Gebbia also serves on Tesla's board and previously worked with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

SFGATE characterized Gebbia as an“unexpected benefactor” for the museum in Marin County, citing the $25 million figure from the North Bay Business Journal. The publication detailed Gebbia's career trajectory, noting that after co-founding Airbnb in San Francisco in 2007, which led to earnings exceeding $9 billion, he engaged in politics, joining DOGE last year. President Donald Trump later appointed Gebbia as the chief design officer of the United States, tasking him with redesigning government websites. In response to Gebbia's political activities, Airbnb reportedly began to distance itself from one of its co-founders.

The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity is planned for the former Birkenstock shoe company campus. The building's design is by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, with landscape design by Field Operations, the firm known for New York's High Line park. Gebbia's support represents a substantial portion of the museum's total fundraising. The Eames Institute raised over $165 million in contributions between 2021 and 2024, with Gebbia's $25 million serving as an anchor. When asked by SFGATE about Gebbia's connection to the museum and his significant contribution to the $165 million raised, Eames Institute president and CEO John Cary stated that donors do not exert outside influence. Cary said,“Joe's views are his own and do not reflect the Eames Institute.”

Source: ARTnews

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