So much anticipation had been building around the Westmoreland Museum of American Art's two-year, $38 million renovation and expansion that a guest list of 830 ensured its Oct. 24 grand reopening celebration was a sellout before the ink dried on the invites.

“It was so much worth the wait,” said Judith O'Toole, Richard M. Scaife director and CEO. “We're over the moon.”

As were the glitterati who crossed multiple counties to get there, including a Pittsburgh collective led by Children's Museum director Jane Werner, Mattress Factory co-directors Barbara Luderowski and Michael Olijnyk, Frick Art & Historical Center director Robin Nicholson, and Andy Warhol Museum director Eric Shiner.

With a collective jaw-drop practically drowning out the ambient sound wafting from the strings of Cello Fury, a beeline was made for halls decked with three feature exhibitions by chief curator Barbara Jones: “A Passion for Collecting: Selections from the Richard M. Scaife Bequest,” “All About Color and Geometry: Selections from the Diana and Peter Jannetta Gift of Art,” and “Making the Westmoreland Museum of American Art.”

“It's just a proud moment for Greensburg to have all this,” said board chairman Bruce Wolf.

From there, the serenade of champagne bottles lured people into the tented parking lot for the Sky's the Limit Dance Party with DJ Gordy and Beauty Slap.

By eve's end, the verdict was in.

“This is another wonderful hidden secret of Pittsburgh,” Bob Sendall said.

On the list were co-chairs Jennifer andKeith Bertetto, Maria andJon Cavalier, Summer and Duffy Friedlander and Alyssa andClayton Kunselman; Dr. Peter and Diana Jannetta, Dr. Michael andLilli Nieland, Yale Gutnick, Laura Gutnick and Dan Bogesdorfer, Harley Trice, architects Susan Rodriguez and Timothy Hartung, and Sam andDebbie Berkovitz.

Kate Benz is the society columnist for Trib Total Media and can be reached at kbenz@tribweb.com, 412-380-8515 or via Twitter @KateBenzTRIB.

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