Art Spaces

In 1976 the Smithsonian Institution's world-class design collection became the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and moved into the prestigious Fifth Avenue mansion that had been built by Andrew and Louise Carnegie in the early 1900s. This little book celebrates a remarkable building and its new lease of life as a major art space. Designed by Babb, Cook & Willard, the mansion was a spacious light filled home for the Carnegie's retirement. In addition to the Fifth Avenue land for their mansion, the Carnegies also purchased extremely valuable property on the northeast corner of 90th Street, for an extensive garden. Today, the house is an extraordinary reminder of the era when Fifth Avenue was lined with the mansions of the nation's wealthiest families. While once only select friends of the Carnegies were admitted into the house, it now welcomes thousands of visitors a year, who marvel at both the exhibitors and the buildings.