Photo by Colin Miller for Sotheby’s
On Saturday, November 8, 2025, Sotheby’s will officially open the doors to its all-new worldwide headquarters in the Breuer building in Manhattan. Free and open to the public, the opening will coincide with a blockbuster exhibition of Modern and Contemporary art, followed by marquee sales the week of November 17.
Designed by Marcel Breuer for the Whitney Museum of American Art, the renowned, landmarked building has been sensitively adapted for Sotheby’s by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron. The inauguration of this new home will return Sotheby’s to Madison Avenue, where it was originally located in New York, and signals a new era of cultural and public use for the building.
Artwork depicted: Frank Stella: © Frank Stella / Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York. Isamu Noguchi: © 2025 The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
In partnership with New York-based PBDW Architects, Herzog & de Meuron has preserved the architectural integrity of 945 Madison Avenue while enhancing the building with state-of-the-art gallery space to showcase Sotheby’s full suite of offerings – including reimagined and flexible salesrooms, exhibitions across its wide range of collecting categories, and a new fine dining restaurant created in partnership with Roman and Williams to open later this winter.
In examining the structure as originally conceived by Marcel Breuer in the 1960s, Herzog & de Meuron has aimed to reinstate the architect’s original vision while adapting it to the needs of Sotheby’s and the surrounding community. All spaces have undergone careful updates that respect their historical resonance while offering opportunities for transformation in line with the building’s new use. These adaptations include enhanced exterior lighting that revives the building’s theatrical presence on Madison Avenue; a second-floor gallery that can transform into a sales room and can also be used for talks and events; removal of office spaces; reversion to original gallery floor plans; and state-of-the-art lighting and climate control.
Artwork depicted: Jackson Pollock: © 2025 The Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Lucio Fontana: © 2025 Estate of Lucio Fontana / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, NY
For the opening festivities, Sotheby’s will host a series of events and panel discussions to welcome clients and the public to the Breuer building. Following the marquee Modern and Contemporary Art sales in November, Sotheby’s will host its Design sales and Luxury Week starting on December 5.
“We are privileged to inhabit an architectural masterpiece that has been home to the Whitney Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Frick,” shares Lisa Dennison, executive vice president and chairman of Sotheby’s Americas. “Those who knew it in earlier incarnations will be moved by how we’ve reimagined 945 Madison Avenue, preserving the spirit of nearly 60 years of acclaimed programming. Breuer’s design, with its remarkable ability to embrace many styles and eras of art, is especially meaningful for an auction house.”
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