[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 112 (Thursday, July 9, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 9, 2026

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of The Toledo 
Museum of Art as we in Ohio's 9th Congressional District commemorate 
its 125th anniversary of serving our community and the many visitors 
from across the globe that visit the museum each year.
  Located in Toledo's Old West End, our art museum was founded in 1901 
by benefactor Edward Drummond Libbey. Libbey is often considered the 
father of the glass industry here in Toledo, having opened the Libbey 
Glass Company, paving the way for Toledo's ``Glass City'' moniker, 
which we still hold today. His generous endowment continues to fund art 
purchases and operations, contributing to his wish that our museum be a 
global leader in the museum field.
  The endowment is currently helping to fund a large reinstallation 
project, adding new galleries and renovating existing ones. It is a 
lens through which I think we can all view the evolution of our 
country. By both preserving the history of what has been and 
reimagining what is to come, our Toledo Museum of Art remembers what is 
important and seeks to better itself for the generations to come.
  Our museum also invites its visitors to view life differently through 
art as they strive to integrate art into people's everyday lives. This 
mission has led to a USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice award of Best 
Art Museum in the USA, furthermore cementing our museum as one of the 
best in the world. Its 37-acre campus is home to more than 30,000 works 
of art, from famed impressionist Vincent van Gogh and passionate 
Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens to American artists Andy Warhol and 
Thomas Cole. In its dedication to the people of Northwest Ohio, our 
museum also showcases local artists and has an expansive exhibit on 
Toledo's glass industry.
  What a tremendous milestone for our city and The Toledo Museum of Art 
to reach in the same year that our Nation celebrates her 250th 
anniversary. Institutions like The Toledo Museum of Art play such a 
pivotal role in the development and culture of the United States of 
America. Art museums allow us to preserve our own history while also 
giving us glimpses into the lives of others and an opportunity to dream 
of our future.
  On this concurrent occasion of the museum's 125th anniversary and our 
Nation's 250th anniversary, let us remember Mr. Libbey's words during 
the museum's dedication--that it be a ``memory of the past,'' an 
``understanding of the . . . present,'' and a means of ``increasing 
understanding'' for the future.
  That wish has certainly taken hold with the hard work of its 
leadership team and the evergreen support of our Northwest Ohio 
community. I commend this remarkable achievement and look forward to 
the future of one of our region's and Nation's finest cultural 
institutions.

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