An afternoon exploring a favourite gallery, a long lunch at the café, a stroll through Philosopher’s Walk – these are some of the things Swee Goh and his late wife, Lilian, enjoyed most about ROM. Upon retiring to Toronto, they lived across the street from the Museum and decided to get to know their new neighbour.
“We were visiting more and more often,” says Swee. “We certainly put our membership to good use! We both loved ROM’s Asian galleries and discovered something new with every visit. After Lilian passed away, I became even more involved on my own.”
A friend belonging to the Currelly Legacy Society would often invite Swee to behind-the-scenes tours and exhibition previews. Through these special events, Swee gained an appreciation for the work going on at ROM (not to mention the perks of exclusive access to the Museum).
“The first time I visited the Willner Madge Gallery, Dawn of Life [a completely donor-funded gallery], I had to wear a safety hat and boots,” recalls Swee. “Seeing its transformation at the opening party months later was astonishing! The exhibitions were fascinating, and the space was completely reimagined. It’s amazing to witness what ROM’s supporters accomplished.”
Exploring options to become one of these supporters himself, Swee decided to make a future gift of his RRSP funds. It was an easy way to leave a legacy honouring Lilian and take advantage of tax incentives without making significant changes to his will. He hopes his gift will support the Museum’s Asian and textile collections, areas of personal interest.
It complements his gift-in-kind of Textile Asia, a journal edited and published by Lilian’s father, Kayser Sung, for over 40 years. This rare collection captures the rich history and contributions of Asia to the textile world, and Swee’s gift makes ROM the only North American institution to possess the complete set.
“I hope both these gifts will provide researchers with unique resources to better understand the Museum’s astounding Asian and textile collections and translate learnings for visitors. ROM is an important part of the city’s identity, and I want to help maintain its stature while still evolving for the future, for Toronto, Ontario and Canada.”
Through these gifts, Swee joins the Currelly Legacy Society, a visionary group of donors whose generosity is building a brighter future for ROM. Members gain access to exclusive events, lifelong learning opportunities, and more.
"I just attended my first event as a CLS member, the annual Spring Lecture,” says Swee. “Learning about the new T. rex exhibition and latest research from the lead curator was eye-opening. I’m looking forward to the next one already!”
A gift of RRSPs is a simple and tax-effective way to support the collections you care about. To learn more, please contact Janice Correa at janicec@rom.on.ca.