While heading towards Museum Mile the other day we stumbled upon one of the neatest things one could possibly stumble upon: an exhibition of fabulous treasures from Europe displayed in a storied NYC mansion.
"Academy Mansion," as it's called, is located at 63rd street and 5th. Originally built in 1921 by the heir to a baking powder fortune, the splendid residence is best known as the one-time headquarters of the New York Academy of Sciences. Now it's used as an event space, and the restored interiors are worth a visit even when empty of art:
Entry hall at Academy Mansion, located at East 63rd St. and 5th ave.
The current exhibition represents the combined efforts and inventories of three super high-end European galleries: Brimo de Laroussilhe of Paris, Alessandra Di Castro of Rome, and Galerie J. Kugel of Paris. Expect to find museum-quality gems tucked between ancient Egyptian sculptures and Renaissance furniture.
Jonah and the Whale casket. Strasbourg, c. 1640 -1660. Signed P. Crispin. Enameled gold, baroque pearls diamonds, rubies, pyrite, silver. From Galerie J. Kugel.
The exhibition is free and open to the public through the end of October, and definitely worth the trip to the Upper East Side.