Situated alongside New York City’s Central Park, the famed Frick Collection is reopening to the public after its first-ever comprehensive upgrade. With an expanded suite of exhibition and programmatic spaces, the new Frick’s inaugural events season will include a two-week music festival, an “unprecedented” trio of Vermeers, and much more.
Expanded Frick Collection to Reopen on April 17
On April 17, the Frick Collection will officially debut new and improved access to the original 1914 home of Henry Clay Frick. Following the multi-year, $220 million renovation project, the Frick is unveiling period-restored interiors, new second-floor galleries, advanced conservation and library facilities, dedicated education rooms, and a 220-seat auditorium.
“The reopening of the Frick marks an exciting moment in the trajectory of this storied cultural institution,” said Axel Rüger, the Frick Collection‘s new Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director. “With the return of the Frick’s masterworks to their revitalized home, we welcome visitors to rediscover the beauty, intimacy, and scholarship that have defined the Frick for nearly a century and that we hope will inspire generations of visitors to come.”
Elizabeth M. Eveillard, Chair of the Board of Trustees, added, “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 painstakingly restored setting of our historic home. Following this long-awaited unveiling, we look forward to giving our audiences the opportunity to experience several newly constructed spaces through the revitalization of signature Frick offerings.”
Interior and Exterior Renovations at the Frick
The restoration and expansion of the Frick Collection, headed up by Selldorf Architects, honors the site’s original character and legacy while making infrastructural and operational improvements. “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 facades and interiors,” said Annabelle Selldorf, principal of Selldorf Architects. “I believe that this careful blending of old and new will make people feel even more welcome.”
Much work and attention to detail went into restoring the Frick Collection’s interiors to their original splendor. Experts treated and preserved original architectural features throughout, including wood carvings, bronze fixtures, and decorative marble and plaster. They also reinstalled textiles that were manufactured by the same firms commissioned by the Frick family in the early 1900s.
The scope of the project was expanded to care for the Frick mansion’s original 1914 facade. Additionally, the Frick Collection restored its 70th Street Garden, which was designed by landscape architect Russell Page in 1977. The space is now visible from several new vantage points throughout the institution.
What’s Happening at the Frick in 2025?
The Frick Collection will inaugurate its new first-floor special exhibition galleries with Vermeer’s Love Letters, which opens on June 18. This exhibition continues the Frick’s long-held tradition of thoughtfully re-examining objects in its permanent collection. For the first time, Vermeer’s Love Letters will unite the Frick’s own painting, Mistress and Maid by Johannes Vermeer, with two special loans: Vermeer’s The Love Letter from Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and Woman Writing a Letter, with Her Maid from the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.
In addition to the Vermeer exhibition, the Frick Collection has also announced its upcoming season of special programs. Among these events is a two-week Spring Music Festival that starts on April 26. The festival will feature concerts of classical, baroque, and modern music, as well as a new contemporary commission by 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner Tyshawn Sorey.
