Mary Frances Poh
Members of the Richard B. Gump Society create enduring legacies by including the museum in their estate plans. When asked what she wanted her legacy to be, Gump Society member Mary Frances Poh said, “I would like to be remembered as a person with a curious nature, who was respectful of other cultures and peoples — someone who supported organizations she believed in and wasn’t worried about having her name attached to anything.”
Mary Frances’s memories of the Asian Art Museum go back to her college days, when she visited the museum in its former Golden Gate Park location. “One of the events I most remember from that time was Tibetan monks making sand mandalas. I could watch them for hours.” She was motivated to join the Gump Society out of a desire to provide moments of discovery like that for future generations.
Now she enjoys seeing the contemporary exhibitions, especially multimedia installations and works that deal with political events. “Political art tells approachable stories about what is happening in the world and encourages museum visitors to open their eyes and minds.”
As a needlework artist, Mary Frances also makes a point to see the museum’s textile exhibitions, including the recent Weaving Stories. “It is rare to see textiles like these from other cultures, as they are fragile and most people think they aren’t worth saving. But they tell us how women decorated their homes and how they lived.”
When reflecting on exhibitions like Weaving Stories and the countless others she has seen over the years, Mary Frances says, “I am so impressed with the science and research the museum uses to preserve all these wonderful artifacts and educate the public about them. I want to do my part to help this special place thrive, especially by supporting staff. I have worked for nonprofits, so I know that most grants do not adequately fund staff, who are crucial to the functioning of the museum.”