We hopped on the #1 train and made our first visit to an extraordinary NYC gem, the Hispanic Society in Upper Manhattan last Saturday. What a find! Founded in 1904 by philanthropist Archer M. Huntington, the institution continues to operate at its original location in a 1908 Beaux Arts building on Audubon Terrace in the Washington Heights. The Hispanic Society complex was designated as a Historic National Landmark in 2012. In 2021, the museum expanded into the former home of the Museum of the American Indian (which is now downtown in the old Customs House), adjacent to the museum’s original building.

On view until June 22nd is Adriana Varejão‘s beautiful large plates/sculptures (“Don’t Forget, We Come from the Tropics”). We were told that only two works remain on exhibit even though the rest of the collection is rotated. The magnificent Duchess of Alba by Goya and the massive work by Joaquin Sorolla. The Sorolla Room, displays Visions of Spain, 14 massive paintings commissioned by Archer Huntington in 1911. Sorolla completed these works from 1913 to 1919. These paintings total more than 200 linear feet and depict scenes from the regions of Spain. The museum contains more than 18,000 works in every medium, ranging from prehistoric times to the 20th century. The collection includes important paintings by Velazquez, Goya, El Greco and Joaquin Sorolla among others. It also includes sculpture and architectural elements, furniture and metalwork, ceramics and textiles. We will definitely return to visit this very special place.