American Friends of the Louvre (AFL) hosted its annual New York Gala on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at a sold-out Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center. The celebrations began on Friday evening with a Pre-Gala Soirée hosted by Printemps New York
The 2026 International Council and Chairman’s Circle domestic trip took members to sunny southern California, with several days in both San Diego and Orange County. Highlights included visits to the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art
Members and friends of AFL gathered at the Hill Art Foundation for a private tour of The Lost Beauty of Humankind: Robert Bergman’s Portraits in the Hill Collection, led by artist, curator, and The Brooklyn Rail co-founder Phong H. Bui.
French artist JR opened the doors to his private Manhattan studio for an exclusive visit with members and friends of AFL. Completed last August after years of renovation, the studio is both a creative playground and a central hub for
Members and friends of AFL were invited to a preview and intimate cocktail reception at Christie’s New York to celebrate the exhibition and sale Irene Roosevelt Aitken: Collector, Connoisseur, Patron. This exceptional collection, assembled by the family over nearly a century,
European-based AFL members gathered for a special visit to the exhibition “Le Trésor retrouvé du Roi-Soleil” in the Nave of the Grand Palais, reuniting 30 of King Louis XIV’s Savonnerie rugs for the first time in history. Members enjoyed an exclusive guided
The Kitchen, a non-profit, multi-disciplinary avant-garde performance and experimental art institution in the West Village, recently hosted a week-long experimental sound installation of At the Louvre: Poems by 100 Contemporary World Poets, an anthology of poems that gathers poets from
Friends and patrons of AFL wrapped up 2025 and toasted the holidays at a festive cocktail party in the elegant setting of Printemps New York’s historic flagship building. While sipping on Ruinart champagne in the grand magasin’s landmarked Red Room,
AFL Members were joined by students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Art Club for a special day of programming in Philadelphia that featured a panel discussion at Wharton and tours of The Barnes Foundation and the newly opened Calder
American Friends of the Louvre opened Paris’ cultural season with a week of intimate artistic experiences and events designed exclusively for AFL members. The week began with a private preview of Eric Fischl: Couples at Skarstedt Gallery. Renowned for his
Members and friends of AFL attended an evening at Sotheby’s with an exclusive specialist-led tour of the New York Sales exhibitions at Sotheby’s new global headquarters in the historic Breuer Building. Sotheby’s offered participants a look at the fall season’s
Every year, the International Council of the Louvre, AFL’s premier membership program, travels to far-reaching destinations in support of the Louvre’s mission. This year, members from cities as diverse as Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, Mexico City, and Barcelona journeyed to
Guests gathered for a special Saturday afternoon excursion to the home of Shirley Singer, where they enjoyed an intimate look at her eclectic and joyful art collection. The collection features works by Louise Nevelson, Alberto Giacometti, Tony Rosenthal, Whitfield Lovell,
Members and friends of AFL kicked off the fall season and enjoyed an exclusive evening at Tiffany & Co.’s newly reimagined Manhattan flagship, The Landmark, a stunning 10-story showcase of luxury jewelry, immersive art, and elevated experiences. Attendees explored the
AFL was greeted by Tia Chapman, Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Frick Collection, who provided an overview of the historic $300 million+ capital campaign that allowed the Frick to conduct major renovations to the museum. This included opening
In June, members of the International Council and Chairman’s Circle visited Paris and Hauts-de-France for their annual summer trip. Activities began in Paris with a cocktail reception at Benjamin Paulin’s live-in museum and home. The trip began on June 8
Kulapat Yantrasast—Founder, Managing Principal, and Creative Director of WHY Architecture—welcomed members and patrons for an evening of champagne and conversation at WHY’s New York office. Over the years, WHY Architecture has cultivated a profound and influential relationship with museums across
From April 8-12, 2025, Chairman’s Circle and International Council members traveled to the Napa Valley and San Francisco. The Valley, nestled between mountain ranges and rolling hills, is famous for its world-class vineyards, charming towns, gourmet dining, and luxurious estates.
Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) reimagined European landscape painting by portraying nature as a setting for profound spiritual and emotional encounters. Working in the vanguard of the German Romantic movement, which championed a radical new understanding of the bond between nature
Members and guests of American Friends of the Louvre visited the Judd Foundation, New York after hours to tour Pierre Paulin: Action House, an exhibition of furniture by Pierre Paulin co-curated by Flavin Judd, Artistic Director of Judd Foundation, and Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Pierre Paulin (1927–2009) was a pioneering
On Sunday May 4, 2025, American Friends of the Louvre (AFL) held its annual New York Gala – their largest in history – at a sold-out Rainbow Room, where they honored Mathieu Lehanneur, an internationally renowned designer who most recently
Members were invited to Templon NY to preview the exhibition of François Rouan, one of the leading lights of the French contemporary art scene to celebrate his first solo show in the city. Coordinated by Alfred Pacquement, honorary general curator
Members joined AFL at Christie’s Auction House for a continental breakfast. We were received by William Strafford, Deputy Chairman, and Csongor Kis, Specialist, European Furniture, to tour L’Art du Luxe: Masterpieces of French Furniture, an exhibition that traces the emergence
Since 1740, the celebrated French porcelain manufactory has been producing some of the finest ceramics in the world, combining a long tradition of hand-made porcelain with innovative designs from world-renowned artists and designers, including Jean Arp, Ettore Sottsass, and Betty
AFL members and their guests toured Les Enluminures’ exhibition Beyond Sight, which explores the tactile nature of medieval and Renaissance art in dialogue with pieces by contemporary artist-goldsmith, Joy BC. The artist, as well as the gallery’s Founder and President,
Members of American Friends of the Louvre convened over lunch at the iconic Cafe Marly before attending a special preview viewing of Guillaume Lethière and touring masterpieces from the Museums collection all while it was closed to the public, a
A unique collaboration between New York Review Books and the Louvre Museum, At the Louvre presents a hundred poems, newly commissioned exclusively for this volume, by a hundred of the world’s most vibrant poets. They write about works from the museum’s collection.
Members and invited guests attended a before-hours curatorial tour of Liberty to the Imagination: Drawings from the Eveillard Gift. This exhibition was part of a series celebrating the Morgan’s 100th anniversary and is devoted to showcasing significant promised gifts to the
Referred to as the Musée du Louvre’s own art sleuth by the New York Times, Dr. Polack has been the public face of the Museum’s efforts to return artwork that was stolen during World War II by the Nazis. The Louvre
In 2024, AFL International Council and Chairman’s Circle members’ annual trip to Paris took place from October 6-10. Highlights included private access to the Louvre while it was closed to the public, access to collections and private homes throughout the