(New York, May 14, 2026)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Met”) and the Ronald S. Lauder Neue Galerie New York (“the Neue Galerie”) today announced plans for a landmark agreement to merge the Neue Galerie with The Met in 2028. The agreement would bring together the most significant collection of 20th-century Austrian and German art outside Europe under a single institution—while preserving the Neue Galerie’s unique museum experience. Timed with the Neue Galerie’s 25th anniversary, the agreement marks a transformative step in preserving and advancing this extraordinary cultural legacy for future generations.
The Neue Galerie’s collection features iconic works by Gustav Klimt—including the famed Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I—and by Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Max Beckmann, Gabriele Münter, Josef Hoffmann, and more. The historic joining of the two institutions reflects Ronald S. Lauder’s longstanding vision for the Neue Galerie and a shared commitment with The Met to ensure access in perpetuity to the Neue Galerie’s distinguished collection and beloved museum space. As part of the announcement, Ronald S. Lauder issued a personal reflection on the news, which can be read in full below.
Extending his decades-long leadership in building one of the most important collections of its kind, The Met and the Neue Galerie also announced that Mr. Lauder and his daughter Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer are planning to donate a selection of 13 outstanding 20th-century Austrian and German paintings from their personal collection to the combined institutions, which would further enhance the strength and depth of the Museum’s collection and enrich the stories it can share about this pivotal period in art history. Gifts to be made by Mr. Lauder upon closing the agreement include: Gustav Klimt’s exceptional, large-scale portrait Die Tänzerin (The Dancer) circa 1916–18; Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s Die Russische Tänzerin Mela (The Russian Dancer Mela) from 1911; and Max Beckmann’s Galleria Umberto from 1925. Future promised gifts by Mr. Lauder and Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer include Klimt’s The Black Feather Hat (1910), and noted works by Otto Dix, George Grosz, Franz Marc, and more.
As part of their long-term commitment to the stewardship of the Neue Galerie, Ronald S. Lauder and Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer also plan to make a substantial gift to support an endowment funding the long-term care and preservation of the Neue Galerie, with a further pledge of significant funds to support costs associated with the integration of the collection and building operations.
In support of this historic gift and undertaking, and to sustain the operations of The Met and the Neue Galerie in perpetuity, several Met Trustees have made generous gifts towards establishing a significant endowment. The important lead gift comes from Met Trustee Marina Kellen French, a longtime supporter of The Met and a deeply connected and passionate supporter of the art represented at the Neue Galerie's collection, which has deep ties to her family history. Initial major funds have also been pledged by Met Trustees Candace K. Beinecke, Jim Breyer, Daniel Brodsky, Richard Lockwood Chilton Jr., Betsy Cohen, Stephen M. Cutler, Robert Denning, Blair Effron, Amy Griffin, Yan Huo, Hamilton ("Tony") E. James, Michael B. Kim, Julia Koch, Sacha Lainovic, Janice Y.K. Lee, Dasha Zhukova Niarchos, John Pritzker, Frank E. Richardson, Jennifer Rubio, Alejandro Santo Domingo, Karen Seymour, Beatrice Stern, Gaby Sulzberger, David Winter, and other anonymous donors.
As part of his personal reflection on the transition (which can be read in full below), Ronald S. Lauder, Co-Founder, President, and Chairman of the Neue Galerie, said, “For the past twenty-five years, the Neue Galerie’s exhibitions, permanent collection, design and book shops, and Café Sabarsky have created an experience that transports visitors to another time—early twentieth-century Vienna and Weimar Germany. The merger with The Met in 2028 will preserve and strengthen the Neue Galerie’s legacy in perpetuity. I am especially grateful to Max Hollein for his leadership and deep understanding of the historical importance of this collection. Under his direction, The Met continues to stand not only as one of the world’s great museums, but as a steadfast guardian of culture, memory, and identity. I am confident that Max and The Met are well positioned to help steward this legacy into the future. Through this partnership, we can carry the Neue Galerie forward with distinction.”
Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO, said: “Ronald Lauder is a collector like none other. Among his many areas of connoisseurship, fin de siècle art from Austria and Germany is closest to his heart. Ronald has established a museum that is itself a work of art, and ultimately a profound reflection of his passion, expertise, and philanthropy. We are deeply grateful to Ronald, Aerin, and their family for their generosity and long-standing commitment to sharing their glorious collection with the world, and honored to carry on their tremendous legacy. I also extend my gratitude to Marina Kellen French, and our many Trustees who have so generously stepped forward to support this initiative.”
Candace K. Beinecke and Hamilton (“Tony”) E. James, Co-Chairs of The Met’s Board of Trustees, said: “On behalf of The Met’s trustees, we extend our gratitude to Ronald S. Lauder and his family for their exceptional generosity and visionary philanthropy. We are honored that Mr. Lauder has looked to The Met to unite our institutions and entrusted us to preserve the Neue Galerie’s collection and galleries for the public to enjoy.”
Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, Met trustee and longtime supporter of the Neue Galerie, said, “The Neue Galerie represents a lifelong passion for my father and a legacy our family is proud to help carry forward. To see it join The Met is incredibly meaningful. It ensures these works will continue to be preserved, studied, and shared with the widest possible audience for generations to come.”
Renée Price, Founding Director of the Neue Galerie, said, “Over the past 25 years, the Neue Galerie has built a sterling reputation for superb scholarship, exhibitions, publications, exclusive Design Shop objects, and more. Through the efforts of our devoted staff, we have fulfilled our mission of creating a beloved museum of early twentieth-century Austrian and German art and design, one that I’m pleased will now have a permanent home as a part of The Met.”
Marina Kellen French, Met Trustee and longtime supporter of The Met and friend of the Neue Galerie, said, “One of the greatest joys of being a New Yorker is visiting The Met and the Neue Galerie frequently. I inherited a love of the arts from my parents, and as a philanthropist and collector, it has been gratifying to celebrate the wonders of The Met and the Neue Galerie with their many audiences. I have long been a supporter of the Neue Galerie and a champion of The Met. With my two beloved museums now coming together, the cultural lives of New Yorkers and visitors from around the world will be further enriched. It’s a privilege to be part of this extraordinary endeavor.”
About the Merger
The Met and the Neue Galerie plan to complete the merger and bring the Neue Galerie’s collection and its William Starr Miller House under The Met’s ownership in 2028, following all necessary approvals. Upon completion, the Neue Galerie and the William Starr Miller House will be renamed The Met Ronald S. Lauder Neue Galerie. The combined museum would continue to display the collection, pursue programming, and welcome visitors to its galleries, shops, and the popular Café Sabarsky. The Neue Galerie’s broader assets, including its endowment, will transfer to The Met and help support the collection and operations. The Met Ronald S. Lauder Neue Galerie will join The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters as the newest member of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Supported by The Met and the Neue Galerie's curatorial and operational expertise, the merger would augment the Neue Galerie’s programs and research capacities, as well as introduce the collection to wider audiences, both locally and internationally, through expanded interpretation, digital initiatives, and collaborative programming. It also creates new opportunities for research and curatorial exchange, enabling The Met and the Neue Galerie’s works to be explored and presented in new and dynamic ways that honor the founding missions of both institutions.
To guide this next chapter, The Met and the Neue Galerie would jointly establish a dedicated Special Advisory Board, with Ronald S. Lauder serving as its inaugural Chair.
A letter from Ronald S. Lauder:
From the very beginning, the Neue Galerie has been a deeply personal and enduring passion of mine.
I often think back to growing up in New York in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a time when art and creativity surged simultaneously. In many ways, it must have felt like Vienna half a century earlier. That was the world that shaped me. One evening, my parents took me to a dinner at The Met marking Florence Gould’s gift of a Pierre Bonnard painting. I found myself seated among many of the leading collectors of that era, individuals whose generosity would come to define the great museums of this country.
I sat there, taking it all in, and began to imagine what a life collecting art might look like. I remember thinking I would be fortunate to become a great art collector, or perhaps a great drawing collector, or even a great medieval collector. The next day, I saw Florence Gould and shared those ambitions with her. I never forgot her response: “Why not be all three?”
In 1967, I met Serge Sabarsky, who became a mentor, partner, and friend for the next 29 years. A decade later, Serge and I began to share a vision: to create a museum devoted to Austrian and German art. In 1994, we found the ideal home in the William Starr Miller House at 86th Street and Fifth Avenue, and Annabelle Selldorf led its restoration with great care and precision. Sadly, Serge did not live to see the museum open, but nearly sixty years after we first met, I know how proud he would be to see the Neue Galerie today.
The Neue Galerie opened in November 2001, just two months after 9/11. The city was still reeling, but in a small way, the museum’s opening offered a sense of renewal. In those first weeks, there were lines around the block. Since then, more than two million visitors have come through our doors.
In 2006, we were joined by one of the most remarkable figures ever to grace a museum wall—Adele Bloch-Bauer, the Woman in Gold. Gustav Klimt’s portrait has become the Neue Galerie’s Mona Lisa and continues to draw visitors from around the world.
For the past twenty-five years, the Neue Galerie’s exhibitions, permanent collection, design and book shops, and Café Sabarsky have created an experience that transports visitors to another time—early twentieth-century Vienna and Weimar Germany. And as Serge always said, “If the coffee is no good, the museum won’t be any good.”
None of this would have been possible without the dedication of Renée Price, the Neue Galerie’s founding and longtime director. I first met Renée in the 1970s, when she was gallery director for Serge Sabarsky. She was part of the earliest discussions that led to the museum and understands its mission as well as anyone. I am also grateful to her senior team and the entire staff, whose work every day has made this vision a reality. Their commitment has meant a great deal to me personally.
The merger with The Met in 2028 will preserve and strengthen the Neue Galerie’s legacy in perpetuity.
I am especially grateful to Max Hollein for his leadership and deep understanding of the historical importance of this collection. Under his direction, The Met continues to stand not only as one of the world’s great museums, but as a steadfast guardian of culture, memory, and identity. I am confident that Max and The Met are well positioned to help steward this legacy into the future. Through this partnership, we can carry the Neue Galerie forward with distinction.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I will continue to be at the front door, welcoming our members to each exhibition, and I look forward to seeing you at our milestone 25th Anniversary Exhibition this fall.
-Ronald S. Lauder
Ronald S. Lauder and The Met
Ronald S. Lauder has long been a major supporter of The Met, most notably through his promised gift of 91 works of European arms and armor, one of the most significant contributions to the Museum’s collection in this field in decades, announced in December 2020. In recognition of Mr. Lauder’s philanthropy, the Museum’s suite of arms and armor galleries is named the Ronald S. Lauder Galleries of Arms and Armor. His support has strengthened The Met’s ability to present this material at the highest level of scholarship and public engagement.
About the Neue Galerie
The Neue Galerie was originally conceived by art dealer and museum exhibition organizer Serge Sabarsky and businessman, philanthropist, and art collector Ronald S. Lauder. After Sabarsky died in 1996, Lauder not only carried forward their shared vision, but realized it in full, founding and shaping the Neue Galerie as a singular institution devoted to early 20th-century Austrian and German art and design. The museum opened to the public in 2001 in the historic William Starr Miller House on Fifth Avenue following a renovation led by celebrated architect Annabelle Selldorf. The Neue Galerie also operates the acclaimed Viennese restaurant Café Sabarsky, Design Shop, Book Store, and more.
The Neue Galerie’s remarkable collection features art from Vienna circa 1900, exploring the special relationship that existed between the fine arts and decorative arts of the period, alongside works from the major German art movements of the early 20th century, including the Blaue Reiter, Brücke, Bauhaus, and Neue Sachlichkeit.
The Neue Galerie will proceed with planned renovations of its building over the summer, closing for construction on May 27, 2026, and reopening to the public in Autumn 2026 with its 25th Anniversary Exhibition. The six-story Beaux-Arts mansion designed by Carrère & Hastings was constructed in 1914, and this project will help ensure the longevity of the Neue Galerie’s historic home.
About The Met
The Met is currently ushering the Museum into the future by renovating one-quarter of its two-million-square-foot building on Fifth Avenue galleries. These reimagined spaces will tell new stories through the breadth of the collection, while improving visitor experience, infrastructure, and sustainability. This remarkable $1.5 billion capital campaign includes: the acclaimed Michael C. Rockefeller Wing for the arts of Africa, Oceania and the Ancient Americas (opened summer 2025); the new Condé M. Nast Galleries (opened May 10, 2026, with the inaugural exhibition Costume Art); new galleries for the Arts of Ancient West Asia and Ancient Cyprus (opening 2027); reimagined spaces for dining and retail inside a newly reactivated entrance off The Met's plaza (opening 2027); and the transformative Tang Wing for Modern and Contemporary Art (opening 2030). Learn more here.
The Met was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens—businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day—who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions, events and educational programs, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures. The Met presents over 29,000 educational events and programs throughout the year to make art accessible to everyone, regardless of background, disability, age, or experience.