George and Brad Takei pledge $21 million estate to Japanese American National Museum

Actor and activist George Takei and his husband, Brad Takei, have pledged their estate, valued at more than $21 million, to the Japanese American National Museum (JANM). The museum will serve as the sole beneficiary of the estate.

In recognition of the gift, a new 9,200-square-foot gallery space within the museum’s core exhibition, titled “In the Future We Call Now: Realities of Racism, Forging Democracy,” will be named in honor of George and Brad Takei. The exhibition is expected to feature interactive StoryFiles and items from the George Takei Collection, including photographs from his childhood during his incarceration at the Rohwer concentration camp in Arkansas.

Since 1989, the couple has contributed a total of $22.5 million to the institution. George Takei has been involved with JANM since its founding in 1985, serving as a founding trustee and as chair of the Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2004. The museum's physical pavilion is currently undergoing renovations and is scheduled to reopen on January 23, 2027.