Eric Carle, Illustration for I See a Song. Collection of the Eric and Barbara Carle Foundation. © 1973 Penguin Random House LLC.
Support The Carle
A recent visitor shared this reflection with me after her visit to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art:
What prompted me to write this letter is how impressed, excited, and deeply moved I was by the dynamism throughout the museum. It’s not a tribute to a giant encased in amber; it’s an ongoing effort to connect with present and future generations around shared human values and the role of art to bring forth and amplify those values. Truly honoring, by your actions, Eric Carle’s legacy.C.S.
I was deeply touched by this note because it captures something essential about our unique museum. We are not simply preserving a legacy. We are actively building a living, creative space where art, storytelling, and imagination bring people together.
In a moment when the world can feel uncertain and the future is hard to predict, creativity, connection, and joy matter more than ever. You help make The Carle a home for these values and provide opportunities to share beauty, hope, and empathy through the exceptionally rich medium of picture book art.
As we approach the end of our fiscal year, I invite you to support The Carle to help secure the Museum as the global home for picture book art. Your gift will come at an exciting, pivotal moment with The Carle’s 25th anniversary in 2027 and Eric Carle’s 100th birthday in 2029. With your support, we will build the strongest possible foundation for our shared future.
We are expanding exhibitions and scholarship, strengthening partnerships with universities and cultural institutions, and engaging schoolteachers and children. We are sharing picture book art with audiences around the world through traveling exhibitions and international collaborations. Our collection of more than 20,000 works by over 320 artists continues to grow and inspire with recent acquisitions, ensuring that the most important works by revered artists are preserved and shared for generations. And at vibrant programs like Very Hungry Caterpillar Day, Summer at The Carle, Carle After Dark, bilingual Special Storytimes, and family festivals, visitors feel The Carle is a place where they belong.
None of our work is possible without the generosity of donors like you.
Your gift today will help The Carle continue to:
- Present inspiring exhibitions and programs for children, families, and adults
- Preserve and expand the world’s most significant collection of picture book art
- Support artists, scholars, and educators who shape the future of the field
- Share the magic of picture books with communities locally and around the world
And now through June 30, you can double your impact! Thanks to the generosity of the Eric and Barbara Carle Foundation, every new or increased gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar, upholding our community and elevating The Carle for a strong future for all.
As C.W. so beautifully described in her note and as Eric Carle believed so deeply, picture books and picture book art have the power to nurture curiosity, compassion, and joy. Your donations help The Carle bring these gifts to generations for decades to come.
Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community.
If you aren’t sure about your last donation to The Carle, contact our development team at development@carlemuseum.org.
