Rauschenberg and Twombly met at Black Mountain College and never really stopped circling each other, so early Rauschenbergs held by the Twombly Foundation carry a particular charge. Gagosian's Madison Avenue townhouse has had them since April and the extended run ends August 28, with no admission charge at any point. If you can get uptown before six on the closing day, it is the best free hour on the Upper East Side.
What to expect
980 Madison is a converted townhouse with quiet, staffed galleries, no ticketing and no bag check queue. The Rauschenberg rooms share the building with a Marcel Duchamp exhibition closing the same day, so one visit covers both. Expect a calm, uncrowded look at museum-quality loans rather than anything resembling a museum queue.
Good to know
- Take the 6 to 77th Street; the gallery is at Madison Avenue and 76th Street
- Gagosian opens weekdays only, so plan around that
- Admission is free and no booking is required
- The Marcel Duchamp exhibition in the same building closes the same day
- It is a converted townhouse; ask at the desk about step-free access
- The Met is a ten-minute walk west across Fifth Avenue
Get Saturday planned every Thursday
One email a week — the best of the NYC weekend board. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Common questions
Is it free?
Yes. Commercial galleries including Gagosian are free to enter with no ticket.
Why the Cy Twombly Foundation?
Rauschenberg and Twombly were close from their Black Mountain College years, and the foundation holds significant early Rauschenberg works.
What are the hours?
980 Madison Avenue is open Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm.
More this weekend
