The Frick Collection NY reopens to the Public

Designed by Selldorf Architects, with executive architect Beyer Blinder Belle, the project was developed to honor the Frick’s historic legacy and character while addressing critical infrastructure and operational needs.

Attendees at the ribbon cutting included Axel Rüger, the Frick’s new Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director; Elizabeth M. Eveillard, Chair of the Frick’s Board of Trustees; Congressman Jerry Nadler; Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President; Gale Brewer, Keith Powers, and Carlina Rivera, New York City Council Members; Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of New York; architect Annabelle Selldorf; and Richard W. Southwick, Partner and Director of Historic Preservation at Beyer Blinder Belle.

“The reopening of the Frick represents a watershed moment in the evolution of this storied cultural institution,” stated Axel Rüger, the institution’s Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director. “With the return of our masterworks to their revitalized home, we welcome the public to rediscover the beauty, intimacy, and scholarship that have defined the Frick for nearly a century and that we hope will continue to inspire generations of visitors to come.”

“I am thrilled to mark the reopening of The Frick Collection today, after a multi-year effort to renovate and improve the building that houses this exceptional collection of artwork,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “With the Frick reopened to the public, New Yorkers can now enjoy a revitalized building that expands on its programming and provides a cultural experience like no other.”

"The Frick Collection is one of our city's cultural gems, with a mission dedicated to making one of the world’s foremost collections of fine and decorative arts open and accessible to the public," said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. "The city is proud of its support for this once-in-a-generation project which has opened up areas for public programming for the first time, and has made the institution more accessible than ever before. Culture is a part of the heartbeat of New York City, and with the Frick's remarkable renovation complete, our arts community has one of its most beloved cultural spaces back for all to experience." 

Added Elizabeth M. Eveillard, Chair of the Board of Trustees, “The Frick’s reopening is an invitation to all New Yorkers and art lovers from around the world to discover—or rediscover—incredible works of art from our permanent collection, displayed in the meticulously restored setting of our historic home. Shortly following this long-awaited unveiling, we look forward to providing our audiences with the opportunity to experience several newly constructed spaces through the revitalization of signature Frick offerings, namely world-class education programs, a classical concert series, and a focused exhibition featuring Vermeer’s beloved Mistress and Maid.”

Marking the most comprehensive upgrade to the institution since its opening in 1935, the $220 million project has restored the museum’s historic first-floor galleries and created a new suite of galleries on the second floor of the original Frick mansion, welcoming the public to experience these spaces for the first time. Through the repurposing of existing space and a modest addition, the renovation and enhancement significantly expands exhibition and programmatic spaces, including the new Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries on the museum’s first floor, the Frick’s first dedicated education rooms, and the new 218-seat Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium. The project also included the restoration of the 70th Street Garden, now visible from multiple new vantage points throughout the building. Major infrastructure upgrades, improvements to overall accessibility, and new public amenities and back-of-house facilities—notable among them, the creation of advanced art and library conservation facilities—ensure the Frick’s vibrancy for decades to come. The adjoining Frick Art Research Library and its refurbished reading rooms reopen concurrently with the museum, with new entry points that enable a seamless integration of the institution’s two branches.

“It has been an honor and privilege to work on the Frick renovation and enhancement project,” stated Annabelle Selldorf, principal of Selldorf Architects. “We 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.”

Now open five days a week (and expanding to six days a week on June 23), the Frick invites visitors to experience its collection anew, with iconic masterworks reinstalled in restored galleries on the first floor and smaller-scale paintings, sculptures, and decorative objects on view throughout its newly opened second floor. In addition, the Frick’s inaugural season features a slate of special installations and public programs, including a special commission of porcelain plants and flowers by sculptor Vladimir Kanevsky, a presentation that pays homage to the floral arrangements made for the Frick’s original opening in 1935. In late April, the Frick inaugurates the Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium with a sold-out music festival featuring both classical and contemporary works, with the new space’s first annual concert series to come later in the year. And, in June, the museum’s new first-floor Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries debut with Vermeer’s Love Letters, which continues the Frick’s tradition of focused presentations that reexamine masterpieces from the permanent collection.