The Museum had its origin in a meeting of the art committee of the Union League Club in November, 1869.

Among the founders were William Cullen Bryant, president of the Century Association, Daniel Huntington, president of the National Academy of Design, Dr.Barnard, president of Columbia, Richard M.Hunt, president of the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and Dr.Henry W.Bellows.Andrew H.Green, the "Father of Greater New York," who was one of those representing the city, was the first to suggest placing the Museum in the Park.

For a time the collection was kept in a house rented for the purpose in West Fourteenth Street.

The first wing of the present building was opened in 1880.
To continue the list of the private residences of the Avenue.

Jonathan Thorne (1028), Louis Gordon Hammersley (1030), Countess Annie Leary (1032), George C.Smith (1033), Herbert D.Robbins (1034), James B.
Clews (1039), Lloyd Warren (1041), Mrs.James Hedges (1044), R.F.
Hopkins (1045), Michael Dricer (1046), George Leary (1053), William H.
Erhart (1055), James Speyer (1058), Henry Phipps (1063), Abraham Stein (1068), Dr.James H.Lancashire (1069), Mrs.Herbert T.Parsons (1071), W.W.Fuller (1072), J.H.Hanan (1073), Benjamin Duke (1076), Malcolm D.
Whitman (1080), McLane Van Ingen (1081), A.M.Huntington (1083).
In the block between Ninetieth and Ninety-first Streets, on land where once the squatter gloried, is the home of the Iron Master, perhaps of all the residences in the long line of the Avenue the one most observed by the stranger within our gates.