The National Trust for Scotland has received a mysterious £625,000 donation for one of its cultural heritage projects.
The conservation charity announced it received the donation this week, which will be a “significant contribution” to its Mackintosh Illuminated project.
The project was launched in 2024 and is centred on preserving the legacy of the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, and conserving The Hill House and The Mackintosh Tearooms, two of Glasgow’s publicly accessible Mackintosh sites.
Mackintosh Illuminated is estimated to cost £20m and the NTS has set a £14m fundraising target.
The donation was one of the largest private gifts received by the NTS and the largest received by the project to date, the charity said in a statement.
“[The donation arrives] at a pivotal moment in the Mackintosh Illuminated journey, as development work continues across conservation, interpretation, audience engagement and long-term sustainability planning,” the NTS said.
A National Trust for Scotland spokesperson said the charity had been “very fortunate” to have received some anonymous gifts worth more than £500,000 from lifetime donors in recent years.
“These have included £2.4m in 2023 in support of Barry Mill and a range of projects in the north of Scotland; £573k in 2026 in support of the Centenary Garden at Newhailes House and Gardens and our Footpath Fund; and this one for Mackintosh Illuminated,” the spokesperson said.
Phil Long, chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland, said the donation came during a period of growing international interest in Mackintosh’s legacy.
“This gift is so appreciated by all of us at the National Trust for Scotland, and indeed, everyone who has an affection for Mackintosh,” Long said.
“Building on the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we have ambitious plans to shine a light on the work of Mackintosh and Macdonald, to continue our pioneering conservation work at the stunning Hill House and to bring all of this to people in Scotland and beyond.
“As an independent charity, donations are vital to making this work possible and we hope that we can inspire others to support our Mackintosh Illuminated appeal.”