Home / Arts and Entertainment / George Takei's $21M Estate Gift to Japanese American Museum
George Takei's $21M Estate Gift to Japanese American Museum
4 Oct
Summary
- George and Brad Takei pledged their estate, valued over $21 million, to JANM.
- The museum will name a new gallery after the couple to honor their support.
- The planned gift ensures lifelong support for preserving Japanese American history.
George and Brad Takei have committed their estate, currently valued at over $21 million, to the Japanese American National Museum (JANM). This planned gift, intended to provide support well beyond their lifetimes, will bolster the institution's mission to preserve Japanese American history and document Takei's personal journey.
The museum will honor the couple's substantial contributions by naming its newly renovated 9,200-square-foot gallery after them. This gallery is a central part of JANM's redesigned core exhibition, "In the Future We Call Now: Realities of Racism, Forging Democracy."
Takei's long-standing relationship with JANM began in its founding years; he has been involved since 1985 and previously chaired the Board of Trustees. The couple has already donated $22.5 million to the museum, which includes their estate commitment and has also placed much of George Takei's personal archive in its care.
In addition to the estate pledge, the museum is preparing to launch new interactive "StoryFiles" in March 2026, featuring George Takei and others who experienced wartime incarceration. These will be housed in the Hirasaki National Resource Center and Weingart Foundation Foyer when the museum reopens on January 23, 2027, following renovations.
