What is The James B. Duke House known for?

It is known as one of New York's finest surviving Belle Époque mansions and is an important landmark on Fifth Avenue's 'Millionaire’s Row.' The building is an almost identical replica of the 18th-century Château Labottière in Bordeaux.

The house is located at 1 East 78th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City.

What is the building used for now?

The mansion currently houses New York University's (NYU) Institute of Fine Arts.

What is the history of the mansion?

Constructed between 1909 and 1912, it was built as a private residence for businessman James Buchanan Duke and his second wife, Nannie Holt. It was later donated to New York University by the Duke family and has served as the center for the Institute of Fine Arts since the late 1950s.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

The James B. Duke House in New York City

Q: Who designed the house?

The house was designed by architect Horace Trumbauer and chief designer Julian Francis Abele.

What to know

Located at 1 East 78th Street, the James B. Duke House is a premier example of a French hôtel particulier on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Constructed between 1909 and 1912, the 40,000 square foot residence was commissioned by businessman James Buchanan Duke as a wedding present for his second wife, Nannie Holt. The mansion was designed by architect Horace Trumbauer and chief designer Julian Francis Abele, who modeled the structure as an almost identical replica of the 18th-century Château Labottière in Bordeaux. The exterior is characterized by a limestone façade and a slate-and-copper roof, marking it as one of the finest surviving Belle Époque mansions in New York City. This architectural gem is a key landmark of the legendary "Millionaire’s Row" along Fifth Avenue. Due to its aesthetic and historical value, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building as an official landmark in 1970, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. In the mid-20th century, the property transitioned from a private residence to an academic center. Between 1957 and 1958, Doris Duke donated the property to New York University. To prepare the mansion for its new role, architect Robert Venturi remodeled the interior in 1958 for academic use. Since then, the building has housed NYU's Institute of Fine Arts, preserving the grandeur of the Gilded Age while serving as a center for art historical study.

Visitor tips

Walk along Fifth Avenue to see the mansion's limestone façade and copper roof from the sidewalk.
Check for special guided tours occasionally offered by local historical societies like Friends of the Upper East Side.
Wear comfortable walking shoes as this stop is part of the broader Millionaire's Row architectural stretch.

Nearby context

The mansion sits at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and East 78th Street, anchoring the historic Millionaire's Row section of the Upper East Side where the city's elite once built massive private estates.

The James B. Duke House