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ABOUT Berger Collection Educational Trust 
The Berger Collection Educational Trust (BCET) was established to sponsor educational activities related to the Berger Collection, British art in general, and the people, culture, and history the works portray. Dedicated to making the collection of British art assembled by Bill and Bernadette Berger an educational resource accessible to all, the BCET intends to develop programs that will connect people with art.
The Bergers 
William Merriam Bart Berger was born in Denver, a fourth-generation Coloradoan who passed away there in 1999. Following the Berger family tradition of caring for other people's money, Bill led a pioneering career managing mutual funds, for which he was nationally recognized. Bernadette Joan Johnson Berger was raised in western Colorado, owns farms in Kansas, and has worked as a securities trader and stockbroker, as well as being a supportive mother. Long-time collectors and patrons of the arts, Bill and Bernadette have said, "We have always believed that art, as well as music, poetry, and literature, refreshes and enriches our lives."
The Collection 
Though natives of the American West, the Bergers chose to assemble an impressive collection of British Art. Their love of British culture was due, in part, to ancestral connections and business partners, and may have been sparked by Bill's experience working as an ambulance driver for the British army in World War II. When asked, "Why British art?" the Bergers remind us that it is drawn from a heritage shared by every American, no matter their personal genealogy. They note that the achievements of British people in the arts, science, economics, and politics have contributed significantly to our material well-being and position in the world. The collection the Bergers have assembled is remarkable for its great span of British art history - 600 years. Through their collection, the Bergers hope that people will explore their understanding of the past, sense new emotions, and gain new insights into the world and themselves.
Visiting the Collection 
The Berger collection is currently housed at the Denver Art Museum in Colorado, where portions of the collection are on display on a rotating basis. From October 1998 to March 1999 the museum hosted a special exhibition of the collection entitled, "600 Years of British Painting," which was accompanied by a catalog and CD-ROM. Future touring exhibitions are anticipated. Please join our mailing list for more information on events related to the Berger Collection and to British art history and culture in general.
Web Site Project 
The BCET Web site serves as an information resource on British art and culture. It features a searchable database of the Berger Collection as well as a virtual tour through the collection and includes a timeline of 600 years of British art, history, and culture, contextualizing artistic achievement in a framework of national and global events. Since education is an integral part of the BCET mission, this Web site intends to provide educational resources to teachers and students alike, and also intends to function as a portal to the best sites available for knowledgeable material on the subject.
Future Work 
Plans are underway on a number of exciting programs that will expose people to the Berger Collection. These include traveling exhibitions of various aspects of the collection, educational programs for students, outreach to teachers, online discussions, conferences and lectures for scholars and collectors, and shop on our Web site.
And, of course, each year the William M. B. Berger Prize for British Art History is awarded to an outstanding book, exhibition, or exhibition catalogue in the field of British art history. Trustees of the Berger Collection Educational Trust  Mrs. Bernadette Berger
Ms. Katherine M.B. Berger Mr. Arthur Lipper III, Chairman Dr. Timothy J. Standring |
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