A native Wichitan, Jayne Milburn was born on June 10, 1915. Atypical for most women of her generation, she obtained a master’s degree in history from Stanford University.

She was first involved in the Wichita Art Museum in 1948. As president of the museum board in the early 1960s, she led the project to construct the museum’s first building expansion.

In 2013, Jayne became an honorary trustee. In 2015, the museum opened the Art Garden, including the Jayne S. Milburn Sculpture Plaza. The world lost Jayne on November 29, 2016, when she was 101 years old. Remarkably, she retained her elegance and sharp intellect to the end.

Jayne Milburn was a rare individual–with erudition, tact, and taste. Her early training in history kept her forever fascinated by world events and social change. She also applied her intelligence to the pursuit of beauty–as a formidable gardener and as a discerning art collector. Milburn left masterpieces to the Wichita Art Museum as a bequest. Opening on what would have been Jayne’s 102nd birthday, this exhibition presents a selection of many world-class works of art she acquired, enjoyed across her lifetime, and recently gifted to our museum for the enjoyment of her beloved Wichita community. Museum visitors will forever remember this extraordinary spirit through the artistic treasures that are her legacy at the Wichita Art Museum.