Members of the College community attended a private tour of The Frick Collection and a cocktail reception in New York on 11 April. One of the event attendees has kindly written the following report of the event.

Around 19 Univ old members and their guests gathered at The Frick Collection in New York City on Saturday 11 April. The group, with matriculation years ranging from 1973 – 2023, joined a private tour of the world-renowned art museum, kindly hosted by Alexander Zaslavsky (PPE, 1992). Felice Nassar, Director of Development, Communications and Alumni Relations, and Harriet Bayly, Deputy Development Director, also attended.

West Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York

The Frick Collection is housed in the 1914 Beaux-Arts Mansion of industrialist Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919), who bequeathed his Fifth Avenue home and holdings to the public. The Upper East Side venue has recently undergone a $200 million renovation and hosts a distinguished variety of Old Master paintings, as well as outstanding examples of European sculpture and decorative arts.

After a chance to catch up on the latest news from Univ, alumni joined one of two expert guides for an introduction to the life and times of the building’s former steel magnate owner, followed by an in-depth exploration of stunning paintings from artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Bellini. The Frick collection has more than doubled in size since the museum first opened in 1935 and is also home to one of the world’s top art history research centres. One tour ended with the words of the famous New Yorker art critic, Peter Schjeldahl, who described each visit to The Frick as “a biographical event: who are you this time?”

Afterwards, the group adjourned to Melody’s Piano Bar on Lexington Avenue, to chat over Univ memories, make new connections, and discuss impressions of the day.

Published: 23 April 2026

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