As one of the few remaining buildings from the Gilded-Age architectural period, the Stanford White-designed Payne Whitney Mansion at 972 Fifth Avenue offers an unparalleled blend of history, design, and elegance. Steeped in the history of turn-of-the-century New York, Renaissance Europe and France, the mansion transports visitors to another epoch and offers the height of sophistication in the 21st century. Its location, across from Central Park and on Museum Mile, is easily accessible.
Marble Rotunda
Stepping through the front doors of wrought iron, one enters the rotunda, a hall framed by marble columns surrounding a fountain and supporting a dome ceiling decorated with lattice and vines. On the fountain rests a marble statue of a youth, now thought to be an early work by Michelangelo.
Venetian Room
Off the rotunda is one of the architect's most original creations, a receiving room later to become known as the "Venetian Room." This fairy tale room is a true museum piece with walls of mirrored panels and a cornice of metal lattice entwined with exquisite porcelain flowers and 18th-century European furnishings.
Albertine Books
Tucked inside the historic Payne Whitney mansion, Albertine is the only bookshop in New York devoted solely to books in French and English with more than 14,000 contemporary and classic titles from 30 French-speaking countries.
Marble Reception Room
A wide stairway leads from the rotunda directly to the Marble Reception Room. With classic proportions and gilded mirrored doors, this space is an exquisite backdrop for cocktail receptions, formal dinners, fashion shows and press luncheons.
Ballroom Reception Hall
The Embassy’s formal reception room is the perfect backdrop for any event, from intimate dinners and elegant cocktail receptions. A series of gilded oversized windows overlook Fifth Avenue and Central Park.
Adjacent to one another, the Marble Room and Main Reception Room on Fifth Avenue and can be configured as one space.
Florence Gould Garden
The Embassy’s contemporary garden was created with a generous contribution from the Florence Gould Foundation and offers guests a peaceful respite and a space for cocktails and other gatherings. It is a delightful complement to any warm weather event. An elegant zen-like design gives the space tremendous malleability. Lighting design by Hervé Descottes.
Contact information:
Cannon Williams
cannon.williams@frenchculture.org
