Arts clubs in Gramercy Park NYC: National Arts Club, The Players, history, membership, and why this Manhattan square became America's creative capital.
There is one block in New York City where the concentration of arts clubs, cultural history, and creative legacy is unlike anywhere else on earth. Gramercy Park South.
On a single stretch of iron-fenced private park — the only private park in Manhattan — two of America's most significant arts clubs stand side by side: the National Arts Club at number 15, and The Players at number 16. Behind them, the neighborhood of Gramercy radiates outward with galleries, cultural spaces, and the lingering atmosphere of a city that has always taken creativity seriously.
If you're searching for "arts club Gramercy" — whether as a potential member, a cultural traveler, or simply someone trying to understand New York's creative soul — this guide is exactly what you need.
Gramercy Park was developed in the 1830s by Samuel Ruggles, who modeled it after London's private garden squares — an island of green accessible only to residents of the surrounding townhouses, who each receive a key. It immediately attracted New York's cultural and professional elite, and the neighborhood became synonymous with artistic ambition.
By the late 19th century, Gramercy Park South had become the single most important address in American arts and culture. Edwin Booth built his club there in 1888. The National Arts Club followed in 1906. The park's elegant Victorian architecture, its remove from the commercial chaos of Midtown, and its sense of private civility made it the natural home for institutions that wanted to exist outside the hurly-burly of the city.
That spirit persists today. Gramercy remains one of the few Manhattan neighborhoods where you can still feel what the city was before it became a theme park of itself.
The National Arts Club was founded in 1898 by Charles de Kay, a New York Times art critic who believed that art should be a central part of American civic life, not a luxury of the elite. Its founding mission — "to stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts" — was radical for its time, and it remains the club's animating purpose today.
In 1906, the Club moved into its current home: the former residence of Governor Samuel Tilden, a spectacular Victorian Gothic mansion designed by Calvert Vaux (co-designer of Central Park). The building is a Gramercy Park landmark — its carved stone facade, bay windows, and elaborate ironwork make it one of the most beautiful private buildings in Manhattan.
Step inside and you enter a world where every surface tells a story. Tiffany stained glass. Original artwork donated by members across generations. A dining room that has hosted presidents, Nobel laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners. A members' library. A garden.
The National Arts Club is not a museum — it is a living institution, and the art on its walls, the books on its shelves, and the conversations in its dining room are all actively in use.
The National Arts Club is one of the most accessible of New York's elite private clubs. Membership categories include:
All applications require sponsorship by two existing members and approval by the membership committee. The Club hosts regular open exhibitions and events, making it possible to experience the space and meet members before applying.
Annual dues vary by membership category. Artist memberships are deliberately priced to be accessible to working artists.
One of the most important things to know about the National Arts Club: its galleries are open to the public during exhibitions. This makes it one of the few elite private clubs in New York where non-members can experience the extraordinary interior. Check nacnyc.org for current exhibition schedules.
Woodrow Wilson, Robert Frost, Frank Lloyd Wright, Al Hirschfeld, Isadora Duncan
Next door to the National Arts Club stands The Players — one of the most emotionally resonant buildings in American cultural history.
It was founded by Edwin Booth, the greatest Shakespearean actor of the 19th century, who purchased the brownstone and commissioned Stanford White to redesign it as a club where actors and educated society could meet as equals. On December 31, 1888, he threw open the doors to a founding membership that included Mark Twain.
The context matters: in 1888, actors were still socially marginalized in America — considered morally suspect, socially unreliable, artistically dubious. Edwin Booth wanted to change that by creating a space where the dignity of theatrical work was taken for granted. He succeeded completely.
The Players interior is essentially unchanged from the day Edwin Booth established it. His personal library, bedroom, and theatrical memorabilia are preserved upstairs as a museum of American theater history. The dining room, bar, and social spaces retain their Victorian character — paneled wood, theatrical portraits, the atmosphere of an earlier New York.
The Players is open to theater, film, and television professionals, as well as those who love and support the performing arts. It hosts:
How to join: Two existing member sponsors and committee approval required.
Mark Twain, Frank Sinatra, Walter Cronkite, Helen Hayes, John Barrymore, Laurence Olivier, Al Pacino
A short walk from the park, the Pen and Brush Club has supported professional women artists and writers since 1893. Its Flatiron townhouse hosts regular member exhibitions and literary events.
The Pastel Society of America is based at the National Arts Club and holds its prestigious annual juried exhibition there — one of the premier pastel shows in the world.
Not an arts club, but an essential piece of the Gramercy arts ecosystem: Pete's Tavern, open since 1864, is said to be where O. Henry wrote The Gift of the Magi. The literary and artistic history of Gramercy runs even through its bars.
Getting there:
What to expect:
Best time to visit:
What is the arts club at Gramercy Park?
There are two major arts clubs directly on Gramercy Park: the National Arts Club at 15 Gramercy Park South (founded 1898) and The Players at 16 Gramercy Park South (founded 1888). Both are among the most historically significant arts institutions in America.
Can I visit the National Arts Club Gramercy without being a member?
Yes — the National Arts Club opens its galleries to the public during exhibitions. Check nacnyc.org for current schedules. The building's extraordinary Tiffany-designed interiors are visible during these open exhibitions.
How do I become a member of the National Arts Club Gramercy Park?
Membership requires two existing member sponsors, a completed application, and approval by the membership committee. Membership categories include artist, patron, associate, and young member. Visit nacnyc.org for current application information.
Is the Gramercy Park key available to arts club members?
Gramercy Park itself is private — keys are only available to residents of properties directly surrounding the park. Arts club membership does not include park key access.
What neighborhood is the National Arts Club in?
The National Arts Club is in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, at 15 Gramercy Park South — one block south of the park, between Park Avenue South and Irving Place.
What is the history of arts in Gramercy Park?
Gramercy Park became New York's premier arts neighborhood in the second half of the 19th century. Edwin Booth founded The Players there in 1888; the National Arts Club followed in 1906. The neighborhood's combination of private park, elegant brownstone architecture, and remove from commercial Manhattan made it the natural home for elite cultural institutions.
See also: