 | | Frye Art Museum's history is about Charles a Emma Frye. Born Oct. 25, 1858 in Davenport, Iowa, Charles was the son of a brick mason who emigrated from Hanover, Germany. Emma Lamp, also of German heritage, was the daughter of a local grain elevator owner. Charles and Emma were married in 1885 in Montana. Charles and Frank Frye and a friend Charles Bruhn created the Frye-Bruhn Meat Packing Co., in Seattle in 1891. Built on 15 acres of tide flats located in South Seattle near the site of Seahawks Stadium, Frye businesses prospered, sparked by the need for gold mining provisions during the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. During this time, the payroll grew from $500 a month to more than $1 million a year. The Frye business expanded to include cattle, sheep, hog, and chicken ranching in several western states, later expanding to include a large scale meat processing plant with retail sales outlets stretching from California to Alaska. During these prosperous times Charles and Emma were able to travel to Europe and collect art. It is believed that Charles and Emma purchased their first European painting at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Their collection grew to more than 230 works - eventually covering the walls of their large home on Seattle's First Hill from floor to ceiling.Throughout the 1920s and 1930s Charles invested in real estate, industry, farms, ranches, gold mines, and oil wells. He built industrial warehouses for firms such as Frigidaire and Buick Motor Co. After purchasing 2,000 acres of land in Monroe, Frye established an industrial scale lettuce farm with processing facilities, six narrow-gauge railroad tracks, and a plant that produced 200 tons of ice per day. The lettuce farm failed financially because of the Depression, but Frye was able to retain the meat packing plant, business investments and the art collection. Emma died in 1934. They had no children and Charles spent his last years alone. In his will, Charles Frye provided for the creation of a free public art museum to house and displays his beloved art collection. He died on May 1, 1940, at age 81. The museum, named after both Emma and Charles, opened to the public in 1952. Walser Greathouse was the museum's first director. After Walser's death, Kay, his widow, took over as Director, and maintained that position until she retired in 1993. The Greathouses established the American and Alaskan Collections for the Frye Art Museum. Through its exhibitions, collections, and programs, the Frye Art Museum engages audiences, challenges perceptions, and encourages dialogue about representational art in all its complexities, past and present. |
| |  | | | Facilities: Frye Art Museum provides restrooms, gift shop, and caf. Reservations: Reservations are accepted for Frye Art Museum. Best Time To Visit: Frye Art Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. Open Sunday Noon to 5 pm and Thursday 10am to 8pm. Fees: No fees are charged. Accessibility: This museum is handicap accessible. Rules: Children must be supervised at all times at the museum. Directions: To reach Frye Art Museum from Seattle, take south I-5 toward the James Street exit. Turn Left onto Cherry Street. Go up hill to Terry Avenue and turn left on Terry. | | |
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| | | | Address | | Frye Art Museum | | 704 Terry Avenue | | Seattle, Washington 98104 |
| | | Phone | | General: (206) 622-9250 | | Fax: (206) 223-1707 | |
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