The Frick announces April reopening date of Upper East Side mansion

January 28, 2025

The Frick Collection from East 70th Street; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

The Frick Collection officially has a reopening date. The museum announced it will return to its historic Upper East Side home on April 17, following a five-year renovation of its mansion at 1 East 70th Street by Selldorf Architects and Beyer Blinder Belle. The project restored the original galleries, added new galleries to the second floor, expanded exhibition space, and revived the 70th Street garden. During the renovation, the Frick temporarily resided in the iconic Breuer Building from 2021 until March 2024.

The James S. and Barbara N. Reibel Reception Hall, overlooking the 70th Street Garden; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

“We are excited to welcome visitors to experience a revitalized Frick Collection and to enjoy all that makes the Frick such a unique institution within the cultural landscape of New York City,” Ian Wardropper, the Frick’s outgoing Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director, who is stepping down after 14 years, said.

“Intimate encounters with iconic works of art remain a cornerstone of the Frick experience. Visitors will now be able to experience even more of our collection and programs thanks to the many architects, preservation experts, curators, artisans, and innumerable museum and library staff who have collaborated to restore the original mansion while also creating new galleries, program spaces, and public amenities.”

Once serving as the private living quarters for the Frick family, the museum’s second floor has functioned as staff administrative offices since 1935. Now, this space has been restored and transformed into ten galleries, opening the floor to the public for the first time.

Entrance Hall; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

The galleries will showcase exhibitions inspired by the Frick family’s personal collections over time, featuring Renaissance gold-ground panels and Impressionist paintings. Other exhibits include significant collections recently acquired by the museum, as well as pieces that haven’t been regularly exhibited, like ceramics, rare portrait medals, and the first-ever permanent display of the Frick’s collection of clocks and watches.

The second-floor landing, which leads to a series of new galleries for the display of small-scale objects from the permanent collection; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

A highlight of the second floor is the Boucher Room, which has moved from its previous location on the first floor to its original setting in the former private sitting room of Adelaide Childs Frick, wife of founder Henry Clay Frick.

Additionally, a new Cabinet Gallery on the first floor will debut with a display of 12 rare drawings. These works, which are rarely exhibited due to their sensitivity to light, feature sketches and highly finished drawings by legendary artists such as Degas, Goya, Ingres, and others.

The featured artworks span from the 15th to 19th centuries and complement the museum’s collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. The exhibit will be on view from the reopening into the summer of 2025.

Special Exhibition Gallery; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

The Frick Art Research Library and its renovated Reading Room will open alongside the museum, with new entry points on multiple levels that provide a seamless integration of the Frick’s two branches.

The project also includes the restoration of the 70th Street Garden, which is now visible from multiple vantage points throughout the building.

The Frick’s inaugural season will showcase a dynamic mix of special installations and engaging public programs throughout the revitalized building. Highlights include a special commission by sculptor and ceramicist Vladimir Kanvesky, featuring porcelain flowers that pay tribute to the floral arrangements commissioned for the museum’s grand opening in 1935.

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

In late April, the museum will celebrate the opening of the new 220-seat Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium with a weeklong music festival featuring classical and contemporary works. The new music hall replaces the museum’s previous 149-seat music room, which was criticized by opponents of the renovation project, as reported by the New York Times.

The Education Room; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

In June, the Frick will inaugurate its new first-floor special exhibition galleries with “Vermeer’s Love Letters.” This exhibition continues the museum’s tradition of focused presentations that re-examine masterworks from its permanent collection.

The exhibition pairs the artist’s “Mistress and Maid,” which is owned by the Frick, with “Love Letter, from Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, and “Women Writing a Letter, With Her Maid,” from the National Gallery of Ireland, according to the Times.

The Frick Collection from East 70th Street; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

The Frick first announced plans to expand in 2014, but the effort was shut down after preservationists and architects opposed the plan to fill the Russell Page garden. In 2016, the Frick tapped Selldorf to redesign an expansion that retained the garden. Initial renderings were unveiled in April 2018.

“It has been an honor and privilege to work on the Frick renovation and enhancement project,” Annabelle Selldorf, principal of Selldorf Architects, said. “We have worked carefully to develop an architectural vocabulary for the project that is continuous with the existing historic fabric yet employs distinct but appropriate contemporary detailing in the façades and interiors.”

“I believe that this careful blending of old and new will make people feel even more welcome as they return to, or discover for the first time, the Frick, its collection, and its beautiful setting.”

The city’s Landmark Preservation Commission approved the Frick renovation plan in June 2018, despite pushback from preservationists and neighborhood advocates. Opponents expressed concerns about restoring the museum’s original gated garden and urged the LPC to consider designating the museum’s John Russell Pope-designed music room as a landmark to prevent its replacement.

The Frick took over Madison Avenue’s famous Breuer building from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in February 2021 while the renovation project commenced. The iconic Brutalist landmark, located at 945 Madison Avenue, was home to the Whitney Museum of American Art until 2016.

On March 3, Frick Madison closed its doors in preparation for its move back to its newly-renovated home. To celebrate its final months at the Breuer, the museum hosted a series of free public programming, special installations, and exclusive member offerings.

Editor’s note 1/28/25: The original version of this article was published in November 2024 and has since been updated with the reopening date.

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Renderings courtesy of Selldorf Architects

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