Upper East Side History Art and Architecture Tour: The Gilded Age Revisted

RSVPs open on Tuesday, March 3rd at 8:00pm.

The is a repeat given the large amount of interest and the long waiting list for the Saturday, March 7th Tour. I will give priority to new members, first timers and those on the waiting list for March 7th so if that is your status feel free to email me at hankorenstein@gmail.com to request a spot. I know Fridays do not work for everyone - in the past our Friday tours have been well-attended.

Cost: This tour is free with a voluntary donation to your guide/organizer at the end via cash, Venmo or Zelle.

Overview
This tour we will indulge in the East 80's between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue and the residential architecture of the gilded age which consists of mansions and elegant townhouses often built in the Beaux Arts, and Renaissance Revival styles, and even the Chateau style. We'll cover the history of this area and how and why it developed as an enclave for NYC's wealthy elite and how gilded age wealth gave rise to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and helped establish the Upper East Side as a center of the art world.

Starting out at the garden of the Cooper Hewitt museum, which was originally the mansion home of Andrew and Louise Carnegie, we'll visit several local art galleries (TBD) during our journey, along with several other indoor locations with spectacular architecture. We will venture inside several buildings that were constructed as gilded age mansions and are now public spaces.

Restrooms before the tour: Tarulucci e Vino Cafe at the Cooper Hewitt Museum. You can enter the cafe via the garden without having to pay admission to the museum. There is a quick bag inspection by a security guard. There are also public restrooms at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest across the street from the garden at 90th Street & 5th Avenue. Once inside the church veer immediately to your right (one stall).
Other nearby options: Met Museum pay what you wish for NY residents. There is also an education entrance near 81st Street where you can go to the rest room withour visiting the museum. And of course any of the other local museums - Guggenheim, Neue Gallery (admission charge).

We'll have a break and restrooms in Central Park or depending on time at the Met Museum's education entrance.

Tour ends at 84th Street & park Avenue or thereabouts convenient to the 4,5,6,Q trains and numerous bus routes including the M86 crosstown.

Your organizer and guide,

Hank Orenstein
hankorenstein@gmail.com
646-596-3005

(photo: James B. Duke House, 1 East 78th Street, now NYU's Institute for the Fine Arts). Courtesy of bigoldhouses.blogspot.com