October 21

The Guggenheim Museum in New York opened to the public on October 21, 1959, six months after the death of its architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. It exhibits collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern and contemporary art. Critics have loved or hated the building’s cylindrical design, featuring interior ramped galleries descending from its skylight in a long, continuous spiral. Some believe the building itself overshadows artworks shown inside, and paintings and other art are difficult to display in shallow, concave exhibition niches with tilted walls. Others believe the design is harmonious with art. The founder’s niece, art patron Peggy Guggenheim, famously called it “my uncle’s garage” on Fifth Avenue. It has been expanded and renovated twice since 1992, fixing structural defects in the process.