Battle of the Museum Galas: The Guggenheim vs. The Whitney

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art throw big parties every fall gala season to fundraise, honor artists and donors, and to reward their youth committees with performances and a dose of celebrity. On Tuesday, it was the Whitney’s turn at their new Meatpacking District home and Fischerspooner (remember them?) and Lion Babe were the main draws for a crowd of Salvatore Ferragamo-clad pretty young things. On Wednesday, the PYT’s swapped into Dior to head to the Upper East Side for the Guggenheim’s party before its more grown-up international gala dinner the following night, which drew Anne Hatheway and Kate Beckinsale. There, it was the young Angeleno chanteuse Banks entertaining a crowd of art-lovers and friends of the house, Dior that is. Who scored the biggest celebrities? The most models? Here, a side by side comparison of the two fetes.

Location, Location, Location Guggenheim: Upper East Side Whitney: Meatpacking District

Main Entertainment Guggenheim: Banks Whitney: Fischerspooner and Lion Babe

DJ in Residence Guggenheim: Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem and The Juan Maclean Whitney: Questlove, Mia Moretti

The A-List Guggenheim: Marion Cotillard, Alexa Chung, Molly Bair, Lexi Boling, Julia Restoin Roitfeld Whitney: Karlie Kloss, Maurizio Cattelan, Chuck Close, Makenzie Leigh, Cleo Wade

Rapper in the House Guggenheim: Future Whitney: Common

Designers in Their Dancing Shoes Guggenheim: Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dao-Yi Chow Whitney: Brandon Maxwell, Scott Studenberg and John Targon of Baja East, Timo Weiland

Who Made it to Both? Guggenheim and Whitney: Ophelie Guillermand

Art on View Guggenheim: Agnes Martin, Laurie Simmons, Taryn Simon Whitney: “Dreamlands: Immersive Cinema and Art”; “Virginia Overton: Winter Garden”; “Red in View” with Mariana Valencia and Lydia Okrent.

Ticket Price Guggenheim: $250 Whitney: $500

Banks Prepares for a Magical Guggenheim Gala, with Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri as Her Fairy Godmother