Fond patron leaves Scottish museum $4M

Edinburgh, Scotland -- A woman who enjoyed visiting the National Museum of Scotland has left it more than $4 million, the largest bequest in museum history.

While Adele Stewart was generous to the museum in her lifetime, officials told The Scotsman they had no idea she had that kind of money. She sometimes brought in unusual objects she found picking through trash in Edinburgh.

Now, the museum plans to name a new gallery in her honor. Gordon Rintoul, the director, said that he is "honored and touched" by her gift.

Stewart lived quietly in a small house she had once shared with her father. She apparently inherited the money and a love of history from her father, who had inherited both from an aunt.

Canon Tim Murray, rector of the Episcopalian Church of the Good Shepherd where Stewart worshiped for 40 years, described her as someone who never said much about her private life.

"She was someone with eccentricities rather than being a full-blown eccentric," he said. "She was one of those lovely ladies who people always liked talking with because you never came away without learning something interesting about life or literature."

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.