Why We Love The Frye Art Museum

One of our favorite cultural institutions in town, The Frye Art Museum is home to a number of brilliant paintings and sculptures in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood. Looking to its various collections and exhibitions, here’s what we love most about The Frye Art Museum.

The Founding Collection

The Founding Collection at the Frye Art Museum focuses and celebrates mostly late-nineteenth and early twentieth-century German art. The collection was formed also in the early twentieth century, when a number of major American collectors and museum curators put it together to strengthen cultural ties between Germany and the United States.

The List Collection

The List Collection comes from the first director of the Frye Art Museum, Walser Sly Greathouse, a man whose art collection was just as brilliant as his name. Some great American artists features in this collection include John H. Twachtman, Geri Melchers, William Merritt Chase, and Albert Bierstadt.

Talks & Tours

In addition to its impressive art collections, the Frye Art Museum is also the home of a series of talks and tours. The Frye presents a variety of lectures and conversations with artists, scholars, museum curators and educators. Guided tours are offered free to the public throughout a given week, and private tours are also available.

Concerts

Founders Charles and Emma Frye had a deep shared passion for classical music, which has culminated over the years in a brilliant concert series. There are exhibition performances, where visiting musicians play works related to current exhibitions. The museum also hosts a free concert series featuring acclaimed classical musicians from around the world.

Film

In a similar vein of its concert series, the Frye Art Museum also hosts an ongoing series of film screenings and talks. The chosen films and discussions are often related to exhibitions and collections on view at the museum. The works range from cutting-edge documentaries to classic narratives, and previews of new works.

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Photo via fryemuseum.org