Angel Orensanz Center, Art gallery and event venue in Lower East Side, Manhattan, United States
Angel Orensanz Center is an art gallery and event venue housed in a Gothic Revival building on the Lower East Side with soaring ceilings, pointed arch windows, and multiple viewing levels. The main hall serves as exhibition and performance space, while viewing galleries allow visitors to experience artworks and events from different vantage points.
Built in 1849 by architect Alexander Saeltzer, this structure served as the largest synagogue in the United States when it opened. Spanish artist Angel Orensanz took over the abandoned building in 1986 and established an art foundation while preserving its original design.
The center functions as a space where contemporary art and cultural events take place in a repurposed religious building. This transformation reflects how the neighborhood embraces creative reuse of historic structures for artistic purposes.
The space can accommodate different types of events from art exhibitions to private gatherings and holds up to 1,500 visitors. Check ahead for visiting times as the schedule changes regularly based on the current exhibitions and programs.
The building originally featured cathedral-style blue ceilings that Orensanz preserved during renovation, maintaining this distinctive architectural character. This choice makes the space a rare example of a former religious site that retained its original artistic identity.
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