The Neue Galerie New York is a small but remarkable museum on Fifth Avenue, dedicated to German and Austrian art and design of the early 20th century. Founded in 2001 by art dealer Serge Sabarsky and businessman Ronald Lauder, the museum has become a cultural landmark, known worldwide for its outstanding collection of modernist and expressionist works. Despite its “modest” name, the Neue Galerie offers an intimate yet world-class art experience.
History
The museum was born from the shared vision of Serge Sabarsky, an expert in Austrian expressionism, and Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics empire and an avid art collector. Their goal was to create a museum that would celebrate the rich artistic culture of Austria and Germany during the early 1900s.
The building itself, a 1914 mansion originally designed for the industrialist William Starr Miller, was meticulously restored to combine historic elegance with modern exhibition spaces.
Collection and Exhibitions
The museum spans three compact floors:
- First Floor — home to Café Sabarsky, one of New York’s best museum cafés, modeled after a Viennese coffeehouse and famous for its pastries.
- Second Floor — devoted to Austrian art, featuring works by Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele.
- Third Floor — highlights German art from the same period, including movements such as Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), Die Brücke (The Bridge), and Bauhaus. Artists include Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
The centerpiece of the collection is Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, acquired in 2006 by Ronald Lauder for $135 million — at the time, the most expensive painting ever sold.
The museum also hosts rotating exhibitions. Recent highlights include “Klimt Landscapes,” showcasing rare works on loan from private collections in Europe and the United States.
Fun Facts
- The story of Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I inspired the 2015 film “Woman in Gold” starring Helen Mirren.
- The painting was seized by the Nazis in 1941 and kept in Austria for decades before being restituted to Maria Altmann, the rightful heir, in 2006.
- A documentary, “Stealing Klimt” (2007), also covers the restitution battle and includes interviews with Altmann and her legal team.
- The Neue Galerie ranks 11th in the list of 100+ best museums in New York City.
Visitor Information
📍 Address: 1048 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
Admission: $28 (free on the first Friday of each month, 5–8 PM)
Don’t miss Café Sabarsky — an attraction in its own right.
Website: www.neuegalerie.org
