Toyota donated $1 million to the Detroit Institute of Arts as part of the "grand bargain" designed to keep the museum's collection from being sold to satisfy the city's debt during bankruptcy.

Toyota Motor North America pledged $1 million to the Detroit Institute of Arts as part of the effort to raise $100 million toward a “grand bargain” that will help the City of Detroit emerge from bankruptcy, support city pensioners and protect the museum’s art collection from sales by creditors.

“Detroit and the surrounding areas are vitally important to the automotive community. They deserve our support,” said Simon Nagata, president of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc.

“Together we can find solutions to help Detroit become the healthy and vibrant community that reflects the spirit of its people. This commitment is a way to demonstrate our gratitude to the people who have built this industry and support us every day,” he said.

Back in June, Detroit’s three automakers, General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group, agreed to put up a total of $26 million to help safeguard the museum’s collections as the City of Detroit’s bankruptcy moved toward its decisive legal phase.

The $26 million consists of $10 million from the Ford Motor Company Fund, $5 million from GM, $5 million from General Motors Foundation and $6 million from Chrysler Group LLC.

Now Toyota has joined it rivals in supporting the museum.

“Toyota has demonstrated its commitment to Detroit and Michigan by doing its part to secure the DIA’s future while helping Detroit’s retirees,” said Eugene A. Gargaro Jr., DIA board chairman. “We are extremely grateful for Toyota’s generous support and know that it will motivate other donors and help pave the way for a bright future, both for the City of Detroit and the DIA.”

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The city’s union and pensioners voted to approve a series of contract concessions last month and the state legislature has agreed to a $195 million aid package for the troubled city.

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The so-called grand bargain will provide Detroit’s pensioners more than $800 million, which is roughly the estimated value of the DIA’s art work, from a consortium of the local and national foundations and the State of Michigan and the DIA over a 20-year period. The funds will be directed to a supporting organization of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and then disbursed for city pension payments over the next 20 years.

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As part of the grand bargain, the City of Detroit will transfer any and all claims of ownership of the DIA’s collection, building and related assets to the private nonprofit corporation that currently operates the museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Inc., which will own the art works.

The Detroit Institute of Arts is considered one of the top museums in the United States and is home to more than 60,000 works ranging from the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum, Self-Portrait, 1887, to Diego Rivera’s world-renowned Detroit Industry murals, which were created in the museum in the 1930s.