Many of the great art museums began as the private collection of a rich family or were primarily funded by super-rich patrons. Think Guggenheim, Barnes, Louvre, Whitney. And now, Crystal Bridges, in Bentonville, Arkansas.
At the moment everyone is calling it the Wal-mart Museum, because it's located in the same town as Wal-mart's headquarters, is funded primarily by a $1.2 billion endowment from the Walton family, and features art owned by the Waltons.
But if the collection is good (it seems to be) and it is run well (it promises to be), then this will no more be a Wal-mart museum to future generations than the Guggenheim is the Yukon Gold Company Museum or the Menil Collection is the Schlumberger Oilfiled Services Museum.
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