Frye Art Museum
Seattle, United States
Visitor Information
Museum Address
704 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Seattle, United States
Ticket Prices
Free
Featured Artists
1 artists in database
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Seattle's original free art museum, founded in 1952 to house the collection of Charles and Emma Frye. The founding collection of 232 oil paintings focuses on late 19th and early 20th century European and American art, with nearly half featuring German artists from the Munich school. Per Charles Frye's will, admission has always been free.
Frye Art Museum in Seattle, United States houses 3 masterpieces in our database, including works by Franz von Stuck. Notable works include The Judgment of Paris.
Visiting Frye Art Museum
Charles Frye specified in his 1940 will that the museum bearing his and his wife Emma's name must always offer free admission. The Fryes, who made their fortune in Seattle's meat-packing industry, had no children and left their estate to create a free public art museum.
The founding collection of 232 paintings focuses on late 19th and early 20th century European and American art. Nearly half features German artists, particularly from the Munich school. The museum also presents rotating contemporary exhibitions.
The Frye Art Museum opened on February 8, 1952, twelve years after Charles Frye's death. It was Seattle's first free art museum. The collection survived a dramatic 1943 fire at a meat plant where it was stored after a B-29 bomber crashed nearby.
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Browse Our CollectionPlease note: Artwork locations and display status may change. Some paintings may be on loan, in restoration, or moved to different galleries within the museum. We recommend contacting Frye Art Museum directly to confirm specific artwork availability before your visit.
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