about the The Glass House Visitor Center + Design Store:
The Glass House (1949-2005), a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation was built in 1949 by famed architect Philip Johnson. The Glass House was Johnson’s weekend residence along with the accompanying Brick House for guests. Over time, the campus expanded to include further buildings and follies designed by Johnson and outdoor sculptures on a rolling forty-nine-acre landscape in New Canaan, Connecticut. The Glass House is a rectangular building composed of glass and steel. The Modernist home is positioned on a promontory overlooking a pond with the Pavilion (1962) and the Lincoln Kirstein Monument (1985) in the distance, with seamless views of the surrounding forest. The Glass House is Johnson’s signature work and heralded the International Style into residential American architecture.
Johnson later lived full time on site with his partner, curator David Whitney, whom he met in the early 1960s. Together they entertained friends such as Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Merce Cunningham, and other artists and architects and hosted events including the celebrated 1967 “Country Happening” with the band The Velvet Underground. Architectural historian, Vincent Scully described The Glass House as “The most sustained cultural salon the United Stated has event seen.” The Glass House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997 and the National Trust for Historic Preservation took over stewardship of the site in 2005. The Glass House features a permanent collection of renowned twentieth-century paintingsand sculptures in the Johnson-designed galleries. Today the campus serves as a catalyst for the preservation and interpretation of modern architecture, art, and design, and is a significant LGTBQ historical site. The Glass House is a canvas for inspiration and experimentation through regular programs and special events. As part of a dedicated effort to tell the full American story, The Glass House is committed to exploring and discussing Johnson’s multi-faceted and sometimes difficult history along with the history of modernist architecture and late 20th century American art.
Open mid-April through mid-December, Thursday – Monday. Advanced tickets required. Theglasshouse.org
