David Geffen Pledges $150 Million to LACMA Building Campaign

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In another grand gesture of philanthropy, the media mogul David Geffen has given $150 million to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the largest single cash gift from an individual in the museum’s history and the biggest gift to the museum’s new building.

In honor of the contribution, the $600 million building, designed by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, will be called the David Geffen Galleries.

“It seemed as though, if I didn’t do it, it wasn’t going to get done — they’ve been attempting this for years and they couldn’t raise the money,” Mr. Geffen said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “I love art, I love L.A. and I could do it, so I did.”

Michael Govan, the museum’s director, called the gift a great sign of “encouragement.”

“It is pretty exciting to feel that we have gotten to this point,” he said. “It’s a big amount; he’s now one of the world’s most important philanthropists. It’s more than the money — it’s a sign that Los Angeles artistic ambitions have wings.”

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