Art Work

Art Work

The Ear Inn art collection — paintings, photographs, and artwork displayed throughout NYC's oldest bar at 326 Spring Street. A living gallery since 1817.

Art Work

The walls of The Ear Inn have always told stories.

Since 1817, this Federal-style building at 326 Spring Street has been a gathering place for artists, sailors, dockhands, writers, and musicians. The art on our walls reflects that history — a layered, living collection that grows a little every year.

The Collection

Our walls feature an eclectic mix of paintings, prints, photographs, and ephemera — some donated by regulars, some acquired over the decades, some simply left behind. There's no curator here. The collection is organic, opinionated, and entirely its own thing.

  • Historic photographs of the building, the neighborhood, and the Hudson River waterfront
  • Paintings and prints by local and visiting artists
  • Memorabilia from more than two centuries of bar life
  • Portraits — of regulars, of musicians, of people the bar has loved

The Building as Canvas

The Ear Inn itself is a landmark. The James Brown House, built in 1817, is one of the last surviving Federal-style structures in Lower Manhattan. The building's bones are the oldest art in the room.

Show Your Work

We occasionally feature local artists on our walls. If you're interested in displaying work at The Ear Inn, get in touch:


Hours: Monday – Sunday, 11:30am – 4:00am

326 Spring Street, Lower Manhattan, NY 10013