Once again open to visitors after five years of renovation, the Frick Collection manages to hold its own amongst the powerhouses of NYCs Museum Mile.
The collection hs about 1500 pieces displayed in the beautiful Frick Mansion, though only about 500 are on display at any given time.
The original collection belonged to Henry Clay Frick, who bequeathed his collection onto public display- where it has been in one form or another since 1935.
The museum is able to lend works acquired by the museum only after Frick’s death, which means that many of these master works are displayed only within this location.
The first floor of the Frick Collection is dominated by huge paintings- and several Whistler pieces are gems of the collection.
My favorite area of the whole museum was the Fragonard Room. As the name implies, the room emphasizes its Fragnoard collection- particularly his Progress of Love paintings, which are tastefully displayed in the room in chronological order; ushering the viewers through the lifespan of a love story.
The Garden Court with its columns and high ceiling is also a popular spot to relax within the museum, giving the impression of being in a lush oasis while surrounded by the city. Think the court in the Isabella Stuart Gardener Museum.
Don’t miss the second floor- this was not open to visitors prior to renovation. This area is dedicated to smaller objects. You can tell that the original collectors were fans of porcelain. Make sure to spend some time in the room of coins. Displayed so you can see the front and back of each coin, you may see some fun Easter Eggs if you look closely!
Since the museum has reopened, it does require timed tickets- probably a good thing given the length of the line on my visit!
Still, it’s worth the wait! I spent about two hours in this museum and would happily go back to see all the little details that I missed!
I would also be remiss to ignore the fact that every employee in this museum was uncommonly friendly! Perhaps they were as excited to see the museum open as the rest of us are, but they were so happy to chat with me about all the different art pieces!
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