Restoring Our Library’s Reading Room

The Frick’s mission to serve as a center for innovative scholarship is largely sustained by the Frick Art Research Library (which was newly renamed from the Frick Art Reference Library to reflect its wealth of both print and digital resources). In this video, we welcome you into the library’s main reading room mid-restoration, where Stephen J. Bury, Andrew W. Mellon Chief Librarian, discusses key aspects visitors can look forward to experiencing upon our reopening. Many of the room’s original features have been conserved—including historic lighting fixtures and wooden architectural details—and the distinctive golden fresco is being reinstalled after its removal for safety reasons during construction. Most importantly, the project physically connects the museum and library on multiple levels, uniting the two branches of the institution to better support their shared goal of fostering new research in the history of art. To learn more about the renovation and enhancement project, visit https://www.frick.org/renovation. Producer/Director/Editor: Lisa Goble Director of Photography: George Koelle Audio Production: Sean Troxell Production Assistant: Courtlin Byrd Original Music: George Koelle Editorial: Noah Purdy © 2024 The Frick Collection