The 'Provocateur' Behind a Museum's $600M Gamble

Michael Govan is spearheading the Los Angeles County Museums of Art's massive $600 million capital campaign. This campaign has been recurring subject at Inside Philanthropy, replete with dramatic headlines ("Fundraising on a Tightrope") and questions surrounding the wisdom of such ambitious projects.

Each project, of course, is unique. Risk is relative. On paper, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art's plan to transform an idled Kraft cheese plant sounds audacious—until you remember it has a solid safety net in the form of the Walton family's billions.

Which is why the New York Times' recent interview with Govan is a must-read. It surfaces the contextual factors around the LACMA's big gamble and provides an illuminating window into the mind of the campaign's architect.