Helen and Sam Zell, on behalf of their foundation, have donated $10 million to the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The gift, which was announced today, will be used to create the Zell Fund for Artistic Excellence and help the museum pay off some of the mortgage on the building at 220 E. Chicago Ave. It will also be used to support museum director Madeleine Grynsztejn's "Vision" plan in making the MCA a premier place for contemporary art, Crain's Chicago reports.

Helen Zell was president of the MCA's women's board from 1991 to 1994 and is chairman of the collection committee. The Zell Family Foundation also provides two paid internships at the museum.

It's the second time MCA has received a gift so large from a single donation, a museum spokeswoman said. In April, Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson also gave $10 million to name the 300-seat MCA Theater, which is now the Edlis Neeson Theater.