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Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
10 West 8th Street
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The Whitney Museum of American Art
Story
The Whitney Museum is now one of New York City's unparalleled art institutions. But it took a while to get there. Here's a brief history of the Whitney Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Post
The three townhouses combined to form the new museum building.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
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8 and 10 West 8th Street. This pair was building in 1838 (along with nos. 12 and 14 to the east). In 1914, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney turned 8 West 8th Street into the Whitney Studio Gallery. In 1931, she turned nos. 8,10, and 12 into the first home of the newly established Whitney Museum.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Post
Entrance to the Whitney Museum When the conversion of the three houses was complete, the new Whitney Museum of American Art moved in and installed this signage an accompanying cast-aluminum eagle (still visible above the current signage for the New York Studio School). The creation of this museum was largely predicated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's refusal of Gertrude Whitney's donation of around 500 artworks. This original museum was a modest exhibition space and director Juliana Force (a long-time friend and associate of Ms. Whitney) lived in an apartment above the galleries.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Post
Juliana R. Force Residence, ca. 1932.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Post
12 and 14 West 8th Street. No. 12 became part of the new Whitney Museum in 1931, while no. 14 (at right) still looks very much as it did here, though with a large window at the ground level.
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Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
8-10 West 8th Street. Residences
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
8-10 West 8th Street. Residences
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Pink gallery fireplace. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Grey gallery to windows. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Bellows painting & pedestals gallery 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Detail of 2 statues in gallery 4. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Side shot in gallery 3. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Bellows painting & pedestals gallery 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Cork room 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room to window. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Detail of steps from gallery 4, direct. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 3 corner detail, horizontal. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Pink gallery alcove. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Detail of steps from gallery 4, direct. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Rear windows, gallery 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Cork room 2. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Detail of steps from gallery 4, side. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Rear windows, gallery 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Grey gallery window & south fireplace. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Grey gallery north fireplace. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Grey gallery to windows. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Pink gallery alcove. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana F. Force \[residence]. Living room to piano. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Detail of steps from gallery 4, side. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 4 to rear, 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room sofa. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room to window. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 3 to front windows. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room to window. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Detail of 2 statues in gallery 4. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 4 to steps. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 4 to rear, 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Pink gallery fireplace. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room to fireplace. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Vista from gallery 2 to gallery 3. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room to fireplace. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Vista from gallery 2 to gallery 3. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 2 to entrance. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Grey gallery north fireplace. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 2 to entrance. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. From pink gallery to grey gallery. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Side shot in gallery 3. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Grey gallery window & south fireplace. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Cork room 1. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana F. Force \[residence]. Living room to piano. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Living room sofa. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Juliana R. Force \[residence]. Bed room to dressing table. Whitney Museum of American Art.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Cork room 2. 10 West 8th Street.
Whitney Museum of American Art (first location)
Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Gallery 4 to steps. 10 West 8th Street.
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