The Frick Collection, located on the Upper East Side, on Fifth Avenue, between 70th and 71st Street, houses the collection of industrialist Henry Clay Frick, once referred to as “the most hated man in America” because of his 19th century steelworker strike-breaking activities.
It’s not overwhelmingly huge like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so you can take your time, look at everything, and be done in three to four hours. Its pristine halls feel more like your house than a museum – assuming yours was built to out-Carnegie Andrew Carnegie’s, that is! Chandeliers, high ceilings and cushioned chairs abound, and transport you to a more lush and opulent era.
From the NY Times:
“The rooms have the flavor of a house that is still lived in – fresh flowers compound that particular illusion – and there is plenty of uncrowded space. (The indoor pool with its pebbled floor and bronze frog set to jump high in the air is one of the pleasantest places in which to keep the Manhattan summer at bay.) Quite apart from all that, the Frick treats us as responsible human beings – so much so, in fact, that as noon draws near we catch ourselves wondering whether we shall be invited upstairs for a glass of dry sherry and a biscuit.”
“Ever since it was opened to the public, the Frick has had this kind of impact. It has stood, and it stands today, as an oasis, a haven and a lighthouse. Never, we feel, will the oasis be polluted, the haven be overrun by bad characters or the lighthouse go on the blink.”
Alas, The Frick doesn’t just have paintings. The art on display spans items like clocks, furniture, textiles and sculptures. Adding to the square footage of this impressive structure is the Library and two outdoor gardens, the perfect places to spend a lazy afternoon.
If you’re interested in channeling your inner artist, The Frick holds studio classes for people of all ages, where materials are provided and an actual instructor is present to assist in your sketching – and the best part is – they’re included with the price of admission!
The current exhibition running through March focuses solely on clocks and watches from 1500 to 1830. So tick-tock, time’s a-wasting, hop on Seastreak into the city for a comfy ride with your own plush seating for a trip uptown to The Frick.
1 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021
(212) 547-6848
On Sundays, pay what you wish from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Sea you soon,
The Seastreak Family
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Filed Under: The Frick Collection