Felix M. Warburg House facts for kids
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Felix M. Warburg House
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1109 5th Avenue, New York, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Gilbert, C.P.H. |
| Architectural style | Châteauesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001207 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 29, 1982 |
The Felix M. Warburg House is a beautiful old mansion in New York City. You can find it on Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street, in an area called the Upper East Side. Today, this grand building is home to the Jewish Museum of New York.
History of the Warburg House
This large, six-story mansion was built in 1908. It was designed by the architect C. P. H. Gilbert. The house was made for a very generous person named Felix M. Warburg, who was a philanthropist. This means he gave a lot of money to good causes.
The house was built in a style that looks like old French castles. It was inspired by buildings from the time of King Francois I in France.
Felix Warburg bought a large piece of land for his house. He wanted his architect to build the house on only half of the land. This left a big lawn on the side, facing Fifth Avenue.
When the house was finished, Felix Warburg's father-in-law, Jacob Schiff, worried it looked too fancy. He thought it might make people jealous. The Warburg family had asked for a house similar to another grand home, with details from an old French hotel called the Hôtel de Cluny.
After Felix Warburg passed away, his wife, Frieda Schiff Warburg, tried to give the house away. She wanted a cultural place to use it, but she couldn't find one. So, in 1941, she sold the mansion. The buyers planned to tear it down and build an 18-story apartment building.
However, their plans didn't work out. The mansion then went back to Mrs. Warburg. In January 1944, she made a wonderful gift. She donated the family mansion to be the permanent home for the Jewish Museum. The museum officially opened its doors to the public in May 1947.
The building has been made bigger a couple of times. It was expanded in 1963 and again in 1993. The newer parts were designed by Kevin Roche. They blend in very well with the original French-style design of the house.
Images for kids
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A line drawing of the Warburg House.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Felix M. Warburg para niños
