What Has Actually Changed?
# The Frick Collection’s Grand Reopening: A New Era for New York’s Most Beautiful Museum
After five years of extensive renovations and a temporary relocation, the Frick Collection, one of New York City’s most beloved art museums, is making a grand return to its original home on Fifth Avenue. The $220 million expansion, set to be unveiled to the public on April 17, breathes new life into the historic mansion, preserving its old-world charm while incorporating modern upgrades that enhance both the visitor experience and the presentation of its world-renowned artworks.
## A Temporary Home at the Breuer Building
In 2021, when renovations first began, the Frick Collection moved to a temporary location—the Brutalist-style Breuer building, previously home to the Whitney Museum of American Art and later a satellite location for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the stark, modernist galleries of the Breuer presented an unusual contrast to the Frick’s traditional setting, they provided museum curators with a unique opportunity to reimagine the collection.
“We got to know the collection in a completely different way,” said Frick associate curator Giulia Dalvit. “Some paintings got to hold the wall by themselves, and others needed a little breathing space or a sparser environment.”
This period at the Breuer has influenced the way artworks are now displayed in the restored mansion, allowing for fresh arrangements that elevate each masterpiece.
## A Thoughtful Restoration
The Frick Collection, housed in the Gilded Age residence of industrialist Henry Clay Frick, has been long celebrated for its intimate viewing experience. Unlike larger institutions, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick offers a more personal encounter with masterpieces from some of history’s most renowned painters, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Velázquez, and Goya.
The mansion underwent a carefully executed expansion led by Selldorf Architects and Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners. Key upgrades include:
– **Expanded Public Access:** For the first time, 10 new gallery spaces on the second floor—previously museum offices—will be open to visitors, displaying paintings, sculptures, and ceramics from the permanent collection.
– **New Auditorium:** A 220-seat circular space with a sleek 21st-century design will host concerts, events, and lectures.
– **Restoration of Historic Rooms:** The Boucher Room, Adelaide Frick’s personal sitting room, underwent meticulous restoration. Chief Conservator Joseph Godla emphasized the challenge of reassembling and aligning wood-panel interiors to maintain their original grandeur.
– **Infrastructure Improvements:** Enhancements include a grand staircase connecting to a second-floor gift shop, a new public café, a more spacious entrance hall, and a dedicated exhibition space.
## Preserving the Collection’s Intimacy
Despite these major improvements, longtime patrons will notice that much has remained unchanged. Familiar masterpieces like Johannes Vermeer’s “Officer and Laughing Girl” and El Greco’s dramatic “Saint Jerome” still grace their former walls. The opulent West Gallery, filled with Dutch and Spanish treasures, continues to house works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and Velázquez.
One of the most welcomed curatorial decisions was the preservation of the Fragonard Room—home to Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s *The Progress of Love* series—one of the museum’s most beloved spaces.
## A Modern Approach to a Historic Institution
The reopening marks a shift in how the Frick engages with contemporary audiences. A two-week music festival, curated by Nico Muhly and featuring opera star Anthony Roth Costanzo, will inaugurate the museum’s auditorium, further cementing the Frick as a cultural hub beyond the visual arts. Additionally, a new exhibition, *Vermeer’s Love Letters*, featuring three Vermeer paintings on loan, will open on June 18.
With these thoughtful renovations, the Frick Collection manages to balance historical authenticity with forward-thinking innovation, reaffirming its place as one of the most treasured art institutions in New York. Those eager for an early peek at the transformed museum can visit during preview events available to Frick members before the official opening.
If you’re in New York, a visit to the newly restored Frick Collection is a must—whether to admire its breathtaking art, explore never-before-seen rooms, or simply bask in the beauty of a museum that has skillfully blended the past with the present.