The World Monuments Fund (WMF) – the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places – hosted its 36th annual Hadrian Gala at the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art. The evening honored Their Majesties the King and Queen of Bhutan and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein for their incredible work to preserve, restore, and share cultural heritage. Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, WMF has raised over $300 million to support more than 700 diverse cultural heritage sites across 112 countries. The Hadrian Gala is WMF’s annual benefit to support these efforts, with this year’s event raising a record $2.5 million.
The evening, helmed by Gala Co-Chairs Marina Kellen French, Christian Louboutin, and Melissa Stewart, commemorated WMF’s global impact and cultural diversity through three emblematic projects: Venice, Lalibela, and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Highlights from the evening’s program included a silent auction featuring an extraordinary opportunity: an Exclusive Journey to Bhutan & Delhi, donated by Remote Lands, and a limited-edition, hand-painted leather Classic Steamer Trunk, donated by Trunk Company Jaipur, among other exceptional offerings.
Most importantly, the gala served as a call-to-action for a major new endowment initiative with a goal to raise $60 million on the occasion of WMF’s 60th anniversary. The endowment will establish and support the Suzanne Deal Booth Institute for Heritage Preservation at World Monuments Fund, a new arm of WMF that will develop and administer academic partnerships, professional training, and connect heritage professionals globally. Deal Booth, an art director, collector, vintner, philanthropist, and longtime supporter of WMF, generously donated $10 million towards the endowment.
To begin the night, President and CEO of WMF Bénédicte de Montlaur stated: “Looking ahead to the next 60 years, we are doubling down on our bold vision: to safeguard the world’s irreplaceable treasures—with WMF as the global powerhouse in heritage preservation. Because of continued conflicts, climate change, overtourism, and urbanization, cultural resources are disappearing as fast as natural ones. Communities worldwide are calling on us to help them face these threats, and WMF has a responsibility and a duty to respond.”
Their Royal Majesties the King and Queen of Bhutan were honored for their outstanding work in protecting the diversity of Bhutan’s architectural and cultural legacy, including important sites such as the Wangduechhoeling Palace and Trashigang Dzong. Speaking on behalf of Their Royal Majesties, Director of Bhutan’s Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development Nagtsho Dorji commented: “Their Royal Majesties see a strong, living culture as [Bhutan’s] core strength. It is what gives us resilience and unity in a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming. They have planted a tree with roots so deep and strong that it can confidently grow new branches, adapt, and withstand any storm. That is not just preserving heritage—it is gifting our children a thriving, confident identity for the world ahead.”
David M. Rubenstein, honored for his remarkable support for preservation in the Washington, D.C. area and beyond, is a proponent of “patriotic philanthropy” and has helped restore iconic monuments and historical sites of national importance. His efforts provide critical public access, connecting citizens to their history and inspiring future stewardship. Accepting the 2025 Hadrian Award, Rubenstein remarked, “When you are asked to help preserve a historic site, do not think you are merely preserving the past—for you are really helping to advance the future. By enabling people to learn from what came before, preservation strengthens civilization itself and helps guide future generations toward a better world.”
Following the conclusion of the gala, an after-party took place at Villa Albertine, sponsored by Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin and Louis Roederer, and featuring desserts crafted by the distinguished French chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud. Music and entertainment was led by DJ Claudius Raphael.
The 2025 World Monuments Summit—held the day before the Gala at Studio by Tishman Speyer at Rockefeller Center, home to WMF’s global headquarters—brought together experts and audiences from around the world to explore the future of heritage preservation. The fifth annual Summit featured conversations on lunar heritage, Bhutan’s model for sustainable development, and WMF’s six decades of global impact. The Summit also marked the world premiere of Heritage on the Moon: Humanity’s Connection to Sites Across the Lunar Surface, an online Tapestry experience produced in collaboration with WMF and digital heritage nonprofit CyArk. Among other things, the project highlights the Moon’s inclusion on the 2025 World Monuments Watch, WMF’s biennial program spotlighting 25 sites of global significance facing urgent conservation challenges, and recognizes the Moon as a symbol of humanity’s shared heritage—on and beyond our planet.
Notable Guests Included: Prince Amyn Aga Khan, HRH Princess Deena Ali Al Juhani, Sabine Getty, Christian Louboutin, Marie and Frédéric Malle, Ashley Olsen, David M. Rubenstein, Annabelle Selldorf, Dr. Mariët Westermann, and Kulapat Yantrasast, amongst others.
The 2025 Hadrian Gala is made possible by the generosity of Daphne Hoch Cunningham, Kenneth C. Griffin, GRoW @ Annenberg, Christian Louboutin, and David M. Rubenstein, among other generous donors. The 2025 World Monuments Summit is supported by Studio by Tishman Speyer.
Image credit: Yvonne Tnt/BFA, Deonté Lee/BFA
