# Whitney Museum of American Art

> The Whitney Museum of American Art is a New York institution devoted entirely to art made in the United States, from the early twentieth century to work finished last week. Founded in 1930 by sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney after the Metropolitan turned down her collection, it now holds more than 25,000 works by over 3,600 artists and stages the Whitney Biennial, the country's longest-running survey of contemporary art. Since 2015 it has occupied a Renzo Piano building at the foot of the High Line in the Meatpacking District.

- **Founded:** 1930
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Founders:** Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (Founder, Sculptor & Art Patron)
- **Team size:** ~520 employees
- **Products:** Permanent Collection, Whitney Biennial, Renzo Piano Building at Gansevoort, Free Friday Nights & Free Second Sundays, Education & Public Programs
- **Notable:** Holds the world's largest collection of Edward Hopper's work and archives., Stages the Whitney Biennial, the longest-running survey of contemporary art in the United States (since 1932)., Built and opened a $422M Renzo Piano building in 2015 with the largest column-free gallery in New York.

## Products & services

- **Permanent Collection** — More than 25,000 works by over 3,600 artists spanning the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including the largest holding of Edward Hopper's work in the world.
- **Whitney Biennial** — The longest-running survey of contemporary American art, staged roughly every two years since 1932 and closely watched as a barometer of the field.
- **Renzo Piano Building at Gansevoort** — A 200,000-square-foot museum with the largest column-free gallery in New York, outdoor terraces, a theater, and a conservation lab, at the base of the High Line.
- **Free Friday Nights & Free Second Sundays** — Free general admission every Friday from 5-10 pm and on the second Sunday of each month, plus free admission for all visitors 25 and under.
- **Education & Public Programs** — K-12 and school partnerships, teen programs, the Independent Study Program, artist talks, tours, and family activities.
- **Digital Collection & Archives** — Free online access to the collection database, artist pages, editorial features, audio guides, and video series.

## Achievements

- Holds the world's largest collection of Edward Hopper's work and archives.
- Stages the Whitney Biennial, the longest-running survey of contemporary art in the United States (since 1932).
- Built and opened a $422M Renzo Piano building in 2015 with the largest column-free gallery in New York.
- Made admission free for all visitors 25 and under and launched Free Friday Nights.
- Grew a founding gift of roughly 600 works into a collection of more than 25,000.

## Latest updates

- **2023-05** — Scott Rothkopf named Alice Pratt Brown Director, succeeding Adam D. Weinberg after two decades.
- **2024-03** — Whitney Biennial 2024: 'Even Better Than the Real Thing' opens as the 81st edition.
- **2024-10** — Museum makes admission free for all visitors 25 years old and younger.

## Links

- Website: https://whitney.org
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/whitney-museum-of-american-art
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/whitneymuseum
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/whitneymuseum
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneymuseum
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitneymuseum
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whitneymuseum

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Last updated: 2026-08-13