Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Neue Galerie accessible?
The Neue Galerie welcomes all visitors and affirms its commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone.

All four levels of the building are wheelchair accessible; three wheelchairs are available for loan. These require a companion to push.

I will need accommodations. How do I prepare for my visit?
The Neue Galerie is accessible to visitors with special needs, and our Visitor Services team is delighted to make arrangements for those who require accommodations. For further details, please call +1 (212) 994-9493 or email visitorservices@neuegalerie.org.

The museum welcomes comments and suggestions about how we might continue to improve our programs and services for visitors with disabilities.

Is there an admission rate for children?
Children aged 12 to 16 qualify for the Students and Educators admission rate, and must be accompanied by an adult to enter the galleries. Infants may be brought into the galleries at no charge, provided they are in a carrier or sling on the front of an adult. Children under the age of 12 years old are not admitted to the galleries during regular museum hours.

Why are children under the age of 12 not allowed in the galleries during regular hours?
The museum exhibits extremely fragile works of decorative art that are not protected by display cases or stanchions. An age restriction allows the museum to protect these pieces, while permitting viewers to appreciate their quality and rarity without intrusive barriers. The Neue Galerie received an exemption from the age discrimination provisions of the Administrative Code of the City of New York from the New York City Commission on Human Rights. In providing this exemption, the City recognized the unique period setting of the museum and agreed that our policy is necessary to preserve the art works on display. We regret any inconvenience this may cause visitors and hope this explanation clarifies the reasons for our policy.

When may I visit the Neue Galerie with a child under 12?
Children are always welcome in the museum shops and the café. The Neue Galerie also offers special educational programs for children to access the galleries, including School Visits and Family Mornings, which are designed for young visitors.

For more information, please contact visitorservices@neuegalerie.org.

What are your open days?
The Neue Galerie is open six days a week: Monday and Wednesday–Sunday. The museum is closed on Tuesday. On select holidays, the museum is closed or has modified hours. For detailed information on hours for the galleries, shops, and cafés, please click here.

Why are the galleries only open six days a week?
The Neue Galerie is open six days a week so that we can best maintain and preserve our building and collection. When the museum is closed on Tuesday, we are able to conduct regular maintenance work.

Do I need to book in advance?
No. Walk-ins are most welcome. However, we also welcome you to book tickets ahead of your visit. To book Advanced Tickets, please see neuegalerie.org/visit.

Are there any times when admission to the museum is free?
Yes. The Neue Galerie is delighted to offer First Fridays, granting free admission to the museum from 5 to 8 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. For more information, including the dates on which the First Fridays will occur, please follow this link.

Is the admission price suggested?
No, the admission price is fixed. The Neue Galerie reserves the right to offer special deals or reduced admission at its discretion. The most up-to-date pricing information is listed here.

What is the minimum age to be eligible for the senior citizen discount?
The senior citizen discount applies to those 65 years of age or older.

Is there a discount for university faculty or high school educators?
Yes. The rate is the $15 student admission, with a valid educator’s ID.

I am part of an affiliate group. Am I eligible for complimentary admission to the museum?
Neue Galerie New York recognizes the below affiliate groups as eligible for complimentary admission:

  • Neue Galerie Members: Complimentary unlimited yearly admission is a benefit of membership. (no bold)
  • US Military: Active and retired members of the U.S. military with valid ID card receive free admission. Free admission is also extended to military families with dependent card.
  • International Council of Museums (ICOM): The museum is pleased to offer complimentary admission to holders of the ICOM card, plus one guest. Advance reservations are not required; please demonstrate proof of your membership upon arrival.
  • American Association of Museums (AAM): The museum is pleased to offer complimentary admission to holders of the AAM card. Unfortunately, the museum is unable to offer complimentary admission to guests of AAM card holders. Advance reservations are not required; please demonstrate proof of your membership upon arrival.
  • SNAP/ EBT Cardholders: Visitors with SNAP/EBT cards receive free admission for the cardholder and three guests. Advance reservation is not required. Please show your ID card upon entry to verify your eligibility for complimentary access. Please note that children under the age of 12 are not permitted to visit the galleries and children between the ages of 12 and 16 must be accompanied by an adult. To learn more about our children’s policy, please refer to our explanation below.
  • Press: While we encourage journalists to schedule visits by appointment, members of the working media receive free admission with demonstration of a valid media badge. Please note that photography, videography, and recording are not permitted during regular museum hours. Kindly visit our online Press Office for more information and to request press materials.
  • Museum Professionals: We are delighted to offer reciprocity to our colleagues working at other museums with valid ID card.

Do you honor the Times Card, Channel 13 card, American Association of Automobile (AAA) card, etc.?
No, the AAM card and ICOM card are the only cards the museum accepts. The Neue Galerie is not affiliated with other museum passes.

May I make a reservation for a meal or coffee in Café Sabarsky?
Café Sabarsky seats guests on a first-come, first-served basis for breakfast and lunch. Dinner reservations are available via RESY. Neue Galerie Members at the Sustaining level or higher may make reservations for seating at any time. Sustaining level or higher Members may make reservations by emailing membership@neuegalerie.org. Please give at least 24 hours' notice. For information about Membership please click here.

Where can I find the menus for Café Sabarsky?
To view the most recent version of the menu, please visit neuegalerie.org/cafesabarsky.

Can I order food from Café Sabarsky to go?
Yes. Café Sabarsky's takeaway menu offerings include whole cakes and a selection of savory dishes. Please review the takeaway menu, and place your order 24 hours in advance. Pickup is available during Café Sabarsky hours.

Is it possible to rent either of the Cafés for a private event?
It is a benefit of Membership at the Benefactor level to reserve either Café Sabarsky or Café Fledermaus for a private event. Please call the Membership and Development Department at+1 (212) 994-9491 for more information, and to discuss opportunities to book in the future.

How do I access the shops?
The Book Store and Design Shop are located on the main floor of the museum.

What are your sales policies?
To find detailed information about shops’ sales policies, including information about shipping, delivery, returns, Member discounts, and special orders, please follow this link.

Where are the restrooms located?
Restrooms are located on the lower level of the museum. Baby changing stations are found both in the men’s and women’s rooms in the largest stall.

Is there a place to check coats?
The museum offers a complimentary coat check service. At the discretion of Neue Galerie personnel, guests may be requested to stow belongings at the coat check before entering the galleries. The maximum size bag that will be stowed at coat check is 21”x 16”x 10”.

How many floors are there?
There are four floors accessible to visitors. The main level includes Café Sabarsky and the Neue Galerie Book Store and Design Shop. There are two floors of gallery space in the museum. Austrian fine and decorative arts are found on the second floor. The third floor is reserved for rotating exhibitions or selections from our German collection. Café Fledermaus and restrooms are on the lower level. All levels are accessible by stairs or elevator.

Who founded the museum? When did it open?
Philanthropist and businessman Ronald S. Lauder and art dealer and collector Serge Sabarsky (1912–1996) co-founded Neue Galerie New York. The museum opened in November 2001.

Are you affiliated with any other museums?
No, Neue Galerie New York is an independent private museum.

What artists are represented in your collection?
The museum’s collection includes work by fine artists Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, Alfred Kubin, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Emil Nolde, Vasily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Gabriele Münter, Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, Christian Schad, George Grosz, and Paul Klee, among others. The museum collection also includes prominent examples of design by Otto Wagner, Adolf Loos, Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, Dagobert Peche, Marcel Breuer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Marianne Brandt.

What artistic movements are represented in your collection?
The museum collection includes work by artists and designers associated with the Vienna Secession, the Wiener Werkstätte, Austrian and German Expressionism, including the Blaue Reiter and Brücke, the Neue Sachlichkeit movement, and the Bauhaus.

Who designed and owned this house? What was here before?
The architectural firm of Carrère & Hastings, which also designed New York Public Library, completed the building in 1914. It is designated a landmark by the New York Landmarks Commission and appreciated as one of the most distinguished buildings ever erected on Fifth Avenue.

The house was commissioned by industrialist William Starr Miller. Miller sold the house to society doyenne Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III in 1944. Upon her death in 1953, the building was purchased and used as office space for the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, until they relocated to 15 West 16th Street. Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky purchased it in 1994. Neue Galerie New York opened in November 2001. More information about the history of the building is available here.

Is this the original marble?
Yes.

Who designed the glass lamps that hang in the foyer?
Austrian architect and designer Adolf Loos designed these beveled glass and brass lamps.

Who was responsible for the renovation of the building?
Annabelle Selldorf was the architect overseeing the renovation of the building. Born in Cologne, she founded Selldorf Architects in New York in 1989. Her art-related projects include designs for Michael Werner Gallery, Barbara Gladstone Gallery, and Hauser & Wirth in New York; and the renovation of a Venetian Gothic palazzo, the Fondazione Ortamila. Her work for Neue Galerie New York involved restoring 1048 Fifth Avenue to its original state, while adapting it to the most stringent museum standards regarding the display and preservation of works of art.