Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design
2 East 91st Street
(212) 849-8420
Cooper-Hewitt
National Design Museum Official website
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The Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design was commissioned by Andrew
Carnegie in 1901. Designed with comfort in mind, the sixty-four
room structure served as a quiet retreat for the noted
philanthropist. The museum's art collection started forming a
few years earlier, 1n 1897, by the granddaughters of
industrialist Peter Cooper. The Smithsonian Institution took the
reins in 1967, and twelve years later the collection was moved
to Carnegie’s mansion. In other words, the house was built for
Carnegie’s enjoyment and wasn’t designed to hold artwork; it
just worked out that way.
Besides just drawings, the museum also features impressive
furniture, textiles, ceramics, and other wonders of design
rather than works of true art. The museum was forced to close
down many of its prized exhibits and galleries due to
renovation, but it has recently reopened and is fully accessible
once again. Its three buildings are now linked together, and the
new Design Resource Center is up and running.
Perhaps the biggest draw of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum is not
the permanent fixtures as much as the changing exhibitions.
These deal mainly with building design and are more eclectic and
often perplexing than other museums' traveling attractions.
Equipped with a terrific library, archives, and even a
Master's Program in the History of Decorative Arts, the
Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design is a good stop for an offbeat
museum experience. The library and archives are available to the
public, so long as you make an appointment beforehand. The sight
of Carnegie's old digs are worth it in and of themselves. For
more information, call the museum at (212) 849-8420. The museum
is located at 2 East 91st Street and is open Tuesdays
from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00
am to 5:00 pm, and Sundays from noon until 5:00. Tickets retail
for three dollars apiece, except for Tuesday afternoons from
5:00 to 9:00 pm, when admission is free.
