NYC's most prestigious historic arts clubs — from the National Arts Club to the Century Association. History, membership info, and insider tips.
There is a New York that exists behind closed doors.
Not the New York of neon and noise — but a quieter city of paneled libraries, candlelit dining rooms, and walls hung with paintings by members long gone. This is the New York of historic private arts clubs, institutions that have shaped the city's cultural identity since the 1800s and continue to do so today.
These aren't museums. They're living communities — places where a sculptor and a senator might share the same table, where a poet is as welcome as a patron, and where the conversation has never stopped flowing since the gas lamps were first lit.
Here's your complete guide to New York City's most significant historic and private arts clubs.
The National Arts Club is arguably the most iconic arts club in America. Founded by New York Times art critic Charles de Kay, it was established with a single democratic mission: to stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts.
Housed in a breathtaking Victorian Gothic mansion overlooking Gramercy Park — designed by Calvert Vaux, co-designer of Central Park — the club feels like stepping into a gilded-age dream. Its interiors feature Tiffany stained glass, original artwork on every wall, and a dining room that has hosted presidents, Nobel laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners.
What makes it special: The National Arts Club hosts over 200 public events per year, including gallery exhibitions, literary evenings, and musical performances — making it one of the more accessible of the elite clubs. Its galleries are periodically open to the public.
How to join: Membership requires sponsorship by two existing members, a portfolio or credentials review, and approval by the membership committee. Annual dues vary by category (artist, patron, sustaining). Waitlists apply.
Notable past members: Woodrow Wilson, Robert Frost, Frank Lloyd Wright, Al Hirschfeld
The Century Association — commonly called "the Century" — is one of the most intellectually prestigious clubs in the world. Its membership has always been capped at 2,500 and has historically been drawn from New York's leading writers, artists, architects, academics, and public figures.
The clubhouse, designed by Stanford White in 1891, is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture on West 43rd Street. Inside: a library of rare books, a gallery of member artwork, a formal dining room, and a bar where conversations routinely outlast the evening.
What makes it special: The Century is famous for the quality of its member discourse — this is a club where you come to think, debate, and be challenged by brilliant peers across disciplines.
How to join: Highly selective. Requires nomination by existing members and approval by a committee. Members are expected to have made significant contributions to arts, letters, science, or public life.
Notable past members: Mark Twain, Frederick Law Olmsted, John Singer Sargent, E.B. White
The Salmagundi Club is the oldest arts club in the United States. Named after the satirical pamphlet co-written by Washington Irving, it has been a home for American painters and visual artists for over 150 years.
Located in a charming brownstone on lower Fifth Avenue, Salmagundi hosts regular exhibitions of member work, art auctions, sketch nights, and workshops. Its atmosphere is warmer and more accessible than many of the elite private clubs — a true working artist's home.
What makes it special: Salmagundi holds regular open exhibitions and auctions that welcome both members and non-members. Its sketch nights and workshops are a beloved institution among New York's artist community.
How to join: Membership is open to professional artists and serious art students. Applications require a portfolio review and two member sponsors. The club is notably more accessible than many of its peers.
Notable past members: William Merritt Chase, Childe Hassam, N.C. Wyeth
Next door to the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park South sits The Players, founded by the legendary actor Edwin Booth (brother of Lincoln's assassin) as a place where actors could mingle with artists, writers, and the educated public without social stigma — at a time when theater people were considered disreputable.
The club's Stanford White-designed building still contains Booth's personal library and memorabilia. Its roster has included virtually every major figure in American theater and film.
What makes it special: The Players hosts an annual "Pipe Night" — one of New York's most celebrated private club traditions — as well as literary events, theatrical readings, and member exhibitions.
How to join: Open to theater, film, TV professionals and those who appreciate the performing arts. Requires two member sponsors and committee approval.
Notable past members: Mark Twain, Booth Tarkington, Frank Sinatra, Walter Cronkite, Helen Hayes, John Barrymore
One of the oldest literary clubs in America, the Lotos Club was founded in the tradition of London's Savage Club to bring together writers, journalists, artists, and those who appreciate their company.
Its clubhouse on East 66th Street — a French Renaissance mansion — has been the site of some of American history's most remarkable private dinners, with guests including Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens (on his American tour), and Mark Twain (who called it "the ace of clubs").
What makes it special: The Lotos specializes in intimate, high-caliber programming — think dinners with visiting heads of state, novelists, and artists, rather than large public events.
How to join: Membership by sponsorship and committee review. Open to those in the arts, letters, and public life.
The Union Club is the oldest club of any kind in New York City, founded by a group of prominent New Yorkers seeking a home for refined social and intellectual life. While not exclusively an arts club, it has always counted artists, architects, and writers among its most distinguished members and maintains a significant art collection within its premises.
What makes it special: History and exclusivity. The Union Club is among the most selective in New York, and its building is a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture.
Founded by J.P. Morgan after he was reportedly rejected by another club, the Metropolitan Club occupies one of Stanford White's finest designs — a white marble palazzo at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 60th Street. Its art collection and interiors are among the most magnificent of any private club in America.
The University Club is housed in one of McKim, Mead & White's most celebrated buildings — a Pink Milford granite palazzo stretching along West 54th Street. Its magnificent library, art collection, and programming make it one of the most culturally rich private clubs in the city.
The Colony Club was the first major private social club for women in New York City. Founded in 1903 by prominent figures including J.P. Morgan's daughter, it has maintained a tradition of arts programming, cultural events, and support for women in public life.
One of New York's most exclusive and least publicity-seeking clubs, the Knickerbocker draws from the city's old-money establishment. It maintains a significant art collection and hosts private cultural events for its intimate membership.
How much does it cost to join the National Arts Club?
Membership fees vary by category. Artist memberships are generally more affordable than patron memberships. Initiation fees and annual dues together can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on membership type. Contact the club directly for current rates.
Can non-members visit historic arts clubs in NYC?
The National Arts Club opens its galleries to the public during exhibitions. The Salmagundi Club hosts regular public events and exhibitions. Most others require a member escort or invitation.
What is the hardest arts club to get into in NYC?
The Century Association is widely considered one of the most selective — membership is limited to 2,500 and requires demonstrated achievement in arts, letters, science, or public life, plus sponsorship from multiple existing members.
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