Restyled Exhibition at Frick Collection
The Frick Collection, a renowned Upper East Side museum, has undergone a significant transformation after five years of meticulous renovations. Led by Annabelle Selldorf and Selldorf Architects, the project has seamlessly blended historic preservation with modern design, preparing the museum for another century of celebration and artistic imagination.
The heart of the renovation involved the restoration and reopening of the mansion’s second floor, which had been closed to the public since it was converted into office space. This renovation has opened up new galleries and exhibition rooms, providing visitors with a fresh perspective on the extensive Frick collection.
One of the key highlights of the project is the construction of a new state-of-the-art 218-seat subterranean auditorium beneath the 70th Street Garden. This auditorium, a modern clam-shaped structure, forms the new Education Center and cafe, offering a contemporary addition to the museum without compromising its timeless aesthetic. The garden, designed by Russell Page, was also refurbished as part of the project, ensuring the preservation of this beloved outdoor space.
Other additions to the museum include a cafe, gift shop, and an Art Research Library, all designed to enhance the visitor experience while respecting the historic fabric of the building. The project, a $330 million transformation, is celebrated as one of the most ambitious museum renovations in New York.
The Grand Stair Hall, previously blocked off, is now open to the public, adding to the airy, seamless integration of new and old within the Frick Mansion. The music room has been renovated into three new galleries, intended for temporary exhibition spaces, while the Boucher Room, initially moved downstairs in the 1930s, has been returned to its original location on the second floor.
Piero della Francesca's St. John the Evangelist and Crucifixion, previously displayed elsewhere, have been moved upstairs to the Frick Mansion, and new rooms on the second floor showcase ornate clocks, vases, and celebratory medals, showcasing the vastness of the Frick collection.
Ingres's painting of Louise, Princesse de Broglie, Later the Comtesse d'Haussonville, has been moved to a new room on the first level of the Frick Mansion. The former Breakfast room on the second floor has been converted into a gallery displaying mid-nineteenth century French masterpieces.
Annabelle Selldorf’s expertise in mansion transformations was central to the project, ensuring the Frick’s architectural and historical significance was preserved while meeting contemporary museum needs. The Frick Museum is now ready to support another century of celebration and artistic imagination, as it prepares for its 100th anniversary in a few years.
- The renovated Frick Collection, a historic museum on the Upper East Side, now boasts a fresh editorial perspective, as new galleries and exhibition rooms showcase news highlights from the extensive collection.
- The reimagined Frick Mansion, after five years of meticulous transformation, has introduced a fusion of history and modernity, with floatings trends in lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, and food-and-drink subtly incorporated into the visitor experience.
- For education-and-self-development, the Frick Museum offers a contemporary addition beneath the 70th Street Garden – a modern 218-seat auditorium serving as a state-of-the-art Education Center and cafe.
- Travellers seeking a touch of history can now appreciate the revamped Frick Collection, as the Grand Stair Hall, once inaccessible, now welcomes guests, offering an airy, seamless integration of old and new within the mansion.
- In the realm of sports, the Frick Museum's transformation can be compared to a seasoned athlete returning after extensive training, ready to dominate the cultural field for another century, as it celebrates its impending 100th anniversary in a few years.
