Protected by a moat and soaring red walls, the Forbidden City contains one thousand buildings, gardens, and pavilions spread over nearly 200 acres. This imposing complex was once home to 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties and today welcomes visitors from all over the world as the Palace Museum. VMFA is creating a scale model of the Forbidden City using 3D printers donated by Leapfrog 3D Printers as part of our fall exhibition, Forbidden City: Imperial Treasures from the Palace Museum, Beijing. More than a million workers built the original palace complex 600 years ago, but this 21st-century version will be complete in a matter of weeks!
You can join VMFA in this quest by choosing the architectural icon (below) that matches your level of support. With gifts beginning at just $10, everyone can get involved in this exciting campaign. Show your support for the cultural vibrancy VMFA’s exhibitions bring to Virginia as an individual, a family or a school class.
Your fully tax-deductible gift to the VMFA Exhibition Fund will support the museum’s entire exhibition program—from traveling exhibitions like Forbidden City and Chihuly to those showcasing VMFA’s permanent collections. These projects are essential to VMFA’s educational mission to enrich the lives of all Virginians through the arts. We’ll be proud to recognize your support of this project on our virtual donor wall!
After you’ve made a gift, come to the museum to see the printers at work and watch the Forbidden City model grow day by day in the Cochrane Atrium.
First Crowdfunding Campaign Tied to 3D Model
In the weeks leading up to the exhibition’s opening, VMFA launched its first crowdfunding campaign tied to the 3D printers and model. In just 26 days, the campaign to build the Forbidden City raised $61,225, exceeding the original $40,000 goal by 52%. A generous matching gift from Frank Qiu and Ting Xu of Richmond-based Evergreen Enterprises midway through the campaign was critical to its success. The couple offered a 1:1 match for every gift up to a total of $25,000. We thank all those who embraced the crowdfunding project and encourage others to show their support for VMFA’s Exhibition Program. A full list of crowdfunding contributors appears next to the 3D printers in the Atrium and on the virtual donor wall below.
Please note: VMFA is using Razoo, a third-party online advocacy and fundraising application for this campaign. Razoo’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy apply to your use of this service. VMFA is unable to answer any inquiries regarding the status of your contribution while it’s being processed by Razoo Foundation.
VMFA would like to thank the following for their generous support
(Click on the area you have helped build to find your name on the list)
The Meridian Gate is the south gate and main entrance to the Forbidden City. Standing 115 feet high, it is the tallest structure in the city and has three large doorways in the center. The central door was generally reserved for the emperor.
Sam and Meredith Allin
David F. Bennett
Thomas Bowen-Rees
Ezekiel Brody
Sarah E. Burgess
Shanna Chandler
Clark E. Crown
Patricia Wagner Dodson
Valerie J. Farrell
Jodie Felice
Jessica L. Ferey
Margaret A. Fohl
Joe Foster
Joyce Garner
Jean F. Goodine
Barbaragae Joffe
Laura Knotty Amp
Linda Kraft
Beverly Lammay
Barbara Hatch Lore
William H. Lovings III
Ramon Mas Maspons
Elizabeth A. McNamara
Kimberly McQuillen
Vicki and Phil Miller
Darcy A. Morrison
Susan Moss
Joseph A. Perdue
Brandon S. Perry
Sheila Preville
Megan K. Reilly
George B. Siecko
Jeffrey A. Spencer
Barbara J. Strong
Bob Tarren
Lauren C. Totty
Lorijean Turner
Brent Turner
Divya Vinjamur
Christopher Walsh
Anonymous (4)
The Imperial Garden, built in 1417 during the Ming dynasty, is one of many in the Forbidden City. Covering an area of 12,000 square meters on the northern end of the Forbidden City, it was formerly used exclusively by the imperial family.
Royanne C. Bailey
Candice Banks
Paul and Diane Barrett
Anne Battle
Daniel Billard
The Bowen-Rees Family
Terry Chern
Jane H. Ching
Ping Chu
Turner F. Cole
David E. Credicott
Naomi Crown
Paul DiPasquale and Kelly Kennedy DiPasquale
Molly H. Dodge
Mei Dong
Jane Dowrick
Carrie Eddy
Virginia R. Edmunds
Jesse Grapes
Joyce M. Grunewald
Cheryl Guedri
Jesse B. Harris
Nancy L. Harvey
Thomas E. Hemstock
Stephanie L. Holt
Sara P. Hudson
Russell and Anke Jackson
Joan E. Kerby
Lyn and Don Kocen
Mary Kuo
Daniel Laskin
Stephen Louie
Mary and Nelson Melton
Michael and Benita Miller
Jaclyn Miller
Trudy Norfleet
John Ong and R. Phil Floyd
J. Lee Osborne
Carl Patow
Sharon and Edson Pederson
David K. Perdue
Susan C. Russell
Elizabeth S. Hopper
Jayne Shaw
Elizabeth C. Stevenson
Donna and Craig Suro
Doris Thrift
Georga S. Williams
Dr. Tarynn M. Witten
Quentin Yan
Anonymous (1)
Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, dragons are revered as benevolent creatures and the ultimate sign of good fortune. Through their ability to control the rains, dragons traditionally ensured successful crops and thriving livestock. Originally a totem of clanship, dragons have long been an emblem of the Chinese people, who consider themselves “descendents of the dragon.” Dragons were also a symbol of the Emperor’s power. Objects created for the Emperor—from a carved seal to an imperial robe and a magnificent throne—were often embellished with dragons. There are believed to be 9,999 dragons in the Forbidden City.
Carneal-Drew Foundation
Ann and Jim Belk
Anne N. Edwards
Alexandria McGrath
Jay Olander
Frank Qiu and Ting Xu
Drew and Julee Spitzer
Deborah and Thomas Valentine
Wilbanks, Smith and Thomas Asset Management