All expansions at The Frick Collection by Selldorf Architects exhibit precision and delicacy
The Frick Collection Reopens After a Stunning $220 Million Expansion
After a five-year closure, New York's cultural gem, The Frick Collection, has reopened its doors following a significant $220 million expansion. Led by Annabelle Selldorf and executive architects Beyer Blinder Belle, the renovation project has breathed new life into the historic museum while preserving its unique charm.
The expansion has resulted in a suite of new special exhibition galleries, which will be inaugurated in June with Vermeer's Love Letters. The museum's conservation studio has also moved into state-of-the-art facilities, serving both the museum and the Frick Art Research Library.
The refurbished library boasts refurbished reading rooms and new entry points, offering visitors a more accessible and engaging experience. The design and renovation process involved a delicate balance of preserving the museum's historic essence and introducing contemporary and functional spaces.
Key aspects of the renovation include the preservation and sensitivity towards the museum's opulent hanging style and historic core, the addition of minimalist galleries for curatorial flexibility, and the inclusion of new facilities such as the 218-seat Schwarzman Auditorium, a café, and the library.
Architects were constrained in some ways, such as being barred from altering a long, wide hallway. However, they creatively designed small, well-thought-out spaces for displaying certain masterpieces separately, like Piero della Francesca and Constable’s cloud studies.
Contemporary design elements have been incorporated to harmonize well with the historic fabric, emphasizing restraint and functionality. The auditorium, for instance, was designed without corners to provide a sense of tranquillity.
The renovation and expansion were approved by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, reflecting a compromise amid some public protests. The project emphasizes heritage preservation while adapting the museum to current needs.
Among the highlights of the reopening are the Boucher Room, anchored on the second floor, and the return of Jean-Antoine Houdon's Diana the Huntress (1776-95) to its original place. Visitors can now use the original grand staircase to reach the former living spaces of the Frick family.
A new series of site-specific sculptures, including an artichoke plant by Vladimir Kanevsky, has been installed throughout the galleries. The renovated Frick Collection now unfolds in 196,000 square feet of gracious rooms and thoughtfully layered sensations, featuring clarified spaces, upgraded infrastructure, and modernist details.
The auditorium boasts custom Poltrona Frau seating for 218, and the museum's collection of masterpieces, including Vermeers, Rembrandts, Van Dycks, Gainsboroughs, Mughal carpets, Chinese porcelain, and more, is ready to be admired once again.
The Frick Collection reopened on 17 April 2025, offering visitors a chance to get closer to art and celebrate the building's rich history. The renovation includes the addition of a dreamy, dynamic staircase and wheelchair-accessible elevators, allowing visitors to access previously private areas, including a new suite of permanent collection galleries.
The new staircase and elevators are strategically located in an ingeniously enlarged reception hall, a structure added in 1977. Annabelle Selldorf described the renovated Frick Collection as a deftly integrated whole that unfolds in gracious rooms and thoughtfully layered sensations.
In the renovated Frick Collection, visitors can explore new permanent collection galleries, showcasing masterpieces from various eras, as part of their home-and-garden lifestyle experience. The refurbished Frick Art Research Library offers a more accessible and engaging environment for readers, providing a blend of historical and contemporary spaces within the scope of home-and-garden interior design.
