The 2009 Gala of Archaeological Institute of America—the first in the Institute's 130 year history—was a smashing success. More than 450 guests attended the event celebrating the 130th anniversary of the AIA and the 60th anniversary of ARCHAEOLOGY magazine, and honoring the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and Harrison Ford for their support of archaeology.
The Gala took place at Capitale, a former bank building in Manhattan's Lower East Side designed by Stanford White. Renowned archaeologist, author, and television host, James Delgado, who has led many of the most important shipwreck expeditions of the last four decades, hosted this extraordinary evening as our Master of Ceremonies.
The theme and décor of the AIA Gala offered was an unforgettable experience, providing guests a glimpse into ancient cultures and civilizations and including an extraordinary Maya Feast.
Guests also had an opportunity to support the AIA's Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarship in the live auction. Guests bid in $500 increments to support this scholarship which sends college students to their first archaeological field school. Despite the tough economic times, we were overwhelmed by the generosity of our attendees and two donors who matched the $35,000 raised by the guests' bids, resulting in a total of $70,000 for the scholarship. The matching funds were provided by archaeologist Paul Rissman, Chair of the AIA Site Preservation Committee, and an anonymous donor.
Several Consulates, Trade Offices, and Tourism Boards generously provided exclusive trips to more than a dozen countries that are top archaeological destinations for our live and silent auctions. The bidding on these trips helped us raise more than $100,000.
The AIA looks forward to many more Galas in the years to come and we wish to thank our many generous supporters and guests!