Arthur M. Sackler

Arthur M. Sackler
Born
Arthur Mitchell Sackler

(1913-08-22)August 22, 1913
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 26, 1987(1987-05-26) (aged 73)
New York City, U.S.
EducationNew York University (MD)
Spouses
  • Else Finnich Jorgensen
  • Marietta Lutze
  • Jillian Tully
Children4, including Elizabeth
Relatives
FamilySackler

Arthur Mitchell Sackler (August 22, 1913 – May 26, 1987) was an American psychiatrist and marketer of pharmaceuticals whose fortune originated in medical advertising and trade publications. He was also an art collector.[1][2] He was one of the three patriarchs of the controversial Sackler family pharmaceutical dynasty.

Sackler amassed the largest personal Chinese art collection in the world, which he donated to the Smithsonian. He provided the funds needed to build numerous art galleries and schools of medicine. Sackler's estate was estimated at $140 million.[3]

Since his death, Sackler's reputation has been tarnished due to his company Purdue Pharma's central role in the opioid crisis. Many of the museums and galleries that Sackler donated to have distanced themselves from him and his family in the wake of the opioid crisis and the Sackler family's resulting reputational fall. On December 9, 2021, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City officially removed the Sackler family name from galleries which had been named after them.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Smith, J.Y. (May 27, 1987). "Arthur Sackler dies at 73". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  3. ^ "In the Matter of The Estate of Arthur M. Sackler, Deceased". Leagle. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  4. ^ "The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Sackler Families Announce Removal of the Family Name in Dedicated Galleries". The Metropolitan Museum of Art.