Art enthusiasts who visit New York City often want to visit the places where Andy Warhol frequented and lived. Warhol, an American artist and filmmaker, was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art, and today’s artists, art students and art lovers still admire his work and love learning everything they can about the art icon.
Warhol, a Pittsburgh native, lived in NYC from 1949 until his death in 1987. Art lovers will want to check out these famous Warhol sites:
1) The Andy Warhol Building, which is at 57 Great Jones Street, was home to Warhol’s film company.
2) Edie Sedgwick’s apartment was located at 16 E. 63rd Street. Sedgwick, one of the artists so-called “Superstars” and Warhol were often out and about around town. She starred in his films Poor Little Rich Girl and Beauty #2.
3) One of Warhol’s favorite places to dine was Elaine’s Restaurant, located at 1703 Second Avenue, at 88th Street.
4) And of course, no trip to New York City would be complete without a trip to the Empire State Building. Warhol decided to film a still shot of the building for a solid eight hours and this resulted in his movie Empire.
5) Warhol had his first group show at The Museum of Modern Art. MoMA is also home to Warhol’s films.
6) Those who know all about Andy Warhol will want to visit the site of what he called “The Factory.” It is located at 231 E. 47th Street. The Factory took up the entire fourth floor of the 1887 Peoples Cold Storage and Warehouse. Warhol’s boyfriend at the time decorated the entire space in silver and aluminum foil. In addition to making art there, Warhol shot hundreds of rolls of film in The Factory.
7) The New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street was an inspiration to Warhol. He found the images there inspiring, and even dated one of the library workers.
8) The Guggenheim Museum was the location of a 1963 exhibition that included Warhol’s work the “Six Painters and the Object.” Visitors paid just 50 cents to attend the exhibit.
9) Warhol’s first solo show, “New York Pop Art,” was held at the Stable Gallery, located at 33 E. 74th Street. It later hosted his famous “Brillo Boxes” show in 1964.
10) And of course, Warhol was one of many celebrities who frequented the infamous dance club Studio 54. Located at 254 W. 54th Street, it was the place to see and be seen in the late 1970s.
11) Those who wish to see Warhol’s early NYC home, the place where he lived from 1960 to 1974 will need to head to 1342 Lexington Avenue. Warhol purchased this building, his first, in 1960. He lived there with his mother, Julia Warhola, and their cats.
12) His second home, from 1974 to 1987, was located at 57 E. 66th Street. This brownstone was home to Warhol and his boyfriend (as well as their dogs) until Warhol’s death in 1987.
What is your favorite stop on the unofficial Andy Warhol NYC tour?