Columbus Circle, New York City · Nov 12 – Dec 8, 2015
The one time Astolat left the vault and let the public in.
For six weeks in the winter of 2015, the Astolat Dollhouse Castle went on public display for the first time since it was built, at The Shops at Columbus Circle inside the Time Warner Center, steps from Central Park.
Nov 12
Exhibition opened
Dec 8
Exhibition closed
2015
First public display ever
10,000+
Miniatures on view
$0
Admission cost
A holiday debut, decades in the making
Astolat had never been shown to the public since Elaine Diehl finished building it in the 1980s. That changed on November 12, 2015, when the castle was unveiled at The Shops at Columbus Circle, timed to coincide with the Time Warner Center's "Holiday Under the Stars," a display of twelve illuminated 14-foot stars hanging through the 150-foot Great Room overlooking Central Park.
For the six weeks that followed, visitors could walk right up to the castle's glass housing and take in the level of detail usually reserved for photographs, free of charge, with voluntary donations going to charity.
On display for a good cause
Every visit doubled as a small act of giving; donations collected during the run went toward organizations supporting children.
As covered by
Bloomberg
Vanity Fair
New York Post
HuffPost
CBS News
What the run looked like, up close
“Twelve glowing stars overhead, and a nine-foot castle drawing just as many stares below them.”
— Opening night, Columbus Circle
“It was the first time this castle had ever been shown to the public since it was built in the 1980s.”
— Press coverage of the opening
“Free to visit, easy to fall in love with, and all for a good cause.”
— Visitor impressions, opening week
Bring Astolat to your venue
Astolat travels rarely, but it travels well. If you're a museum, retail center, or event looking to host a future exhibition, we'd like to hear about it.