381 Lafayette Street was originally built as a townhouse in the early 1800s, and was acquired in 1890 by The Mission of the Immaculate Virgin as a haven for orphaned newsboys. In 1965, the building was sold to the artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008), who renovated the space and deconsecrated the partial chapel at the rear of the building to use as a studio and residence for gatherings with friends and collaborators—including, among others, Yvonne Rainer, Dorothea Rockburne, Mel Bochner, and Brice Marden. 381 Lafayette earned the nickname "Milton's Hilton"—a play on Rauschenberg's birth name and its often occupied rooms—and became a center for both creative and social activities in the art community.

By 1970, Rauschenberg had transferred his primary studio and residence to Captiva, Florida, though he maintained 381 Lafayette as his New York base and curatorial offices. After Rauschenberg's death in 2008, the building became the center of operations for the artist's namesake Foundation and remains so to this day. It retains its original architectural details and honors the artist's use of the space with regular exhibitions of his work, typically on view by appointment only.

The current exhibition, "Autobiography and Other Stories: Robert Rauschenberg in Words and Images," presents artworks from across Rauschenberg’s nearly sixty-year career alongside a selection of his lesser-known writings to provide a snapshot of his biography and the exceptional range of materials and methods explored in his creative output.

2025 marks the Centennial year of Rauschenberg’s birth, with an international slate of exhibitions and programs celebrating the occasion.

No coat check is available. Large bags, food, and drinks will not be permitted.

Children 10+ welcome. Every person attending, including children, requires a ticket.