June 19th will be the official day of appreciation to honor Anne d’Harnoncourt, who died June 2, 2008. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will be open and free to the public on June 19th from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.At 11:30 a.m., the City Council will issue a resolution honoring Anne d’Harnoncourt’s extraordinary leadership and public service. A tribute ceremony will begin on the East Terrace at 6:00 p.m., which will include the Philadelphia Boys Choir, Ed Wise and His New Orleans Jazz Band, and Michael Nutter.
Throughout the day guest books will be on display in which visitors can share thoughts and memories. A complimentary audio tour of d’Harnoncourt’s Director’s Delights will be available to all guests.
“In the spirit of Anne’s warm and welcoming way, we offer this complimentary invitation to the public, everyone, to join us on June 19th in sharing the Museum and collections that she loved so much here in the city to which she was so completely devoted,” said Gerry Lenfest as quoted in the Philadelphia Museum of Art website.
An official memorial service will be scheduled for Sunday, September 7, 2008, which would be her 65th birthday. Donations in her memory may be made to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the Anne d'Harnoncourt Memorial Fund. The gifts have been placed in a restricted fund to identify a meaningful tribute.
It seems like it always takes death to make us appreciate life. But even when death comes to important public figures or loved ones, a few days pass and life is back to normal. I don’t think we should live in the shadow of death as that would not be a joyful existence. But the important lessons that death teaches are too soon forgotten. For example, life is precious and our time on earth is short compared with eternity. May the death of Anne d'Harnoncourt, a giant in the art community, teach us those lessons and encourage us to invest in our gifts and talents.
We need to remember to pray for Anne d’Harnoncourt’s family and friends during this difficult time.
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