A Trans-Atlantic £50,000 gift has been given to the Macclesfield Museums Trust.
The trust, which is converting the town's former School of Art on Park Green into a new museum, was given the money by the New York-based Francis Finlay Foundation.
The generous donation was organised through Sir Richard Baker Wilbraham, who is a patron of the museum's fund-raising appeal.
Museum director Louanne Collins, who has been involved in strenuous cash-raising efforts throughout the conversion project, was delighted to receive the cash.
She said: "We are obviously thrilled with this generosity which has made an enormous difference to our fundraising efforts."
Louanne recently met the Mayor of Macclesfield, Coun Muriel Clampett, at the re-opening of the Mulberry Tree Coffee Shop after it was extended and refurbished.
The cafe now looks onto the Silk Museum with modern decor, 30 more seats, and a new menu.
And the Silk Shop, the home of pocket-money souvenirs, has also been brightened by a facelift and now stocks greetings cards.
Museum staff are also celebrating the exhibition of previously-unseen displays which look at the use of silk in fashion - while information technology allows visitors access to a wide variety of silk collections.
Meanwhile, an exhibition currently at West Park Museum features colourful and practical art created by pupils of Poynton High School.
The displays, which were arranged by Nikki Parmenter, the school's head of art, include works of children in years seven to 11.
The exhibition will run at West Park until Sunday, March 31. It opens between 1-4pm daily, except Mondays. Admission is free.
The new museum on Park Green is expected to be open in May.
