Now You Can Rent the Mansion From “The Royal Tenenbaums”

Symmetrical framing not included

Royal Tenenbaums still
If you've ever wanted to live like a Wes Anderson character, this is your chance.
Criterion Collection

As cinematic opening lines go, it’s hard to top this one — especially when it’s delivered in the dulcet tones of Alec Baldwin: “Royal Tenenbaum bought the house on Archer Avenue in the winter of his 35th year.” That is, of course, from Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Much of the film’s action is set in a sprawling house where the majority of the family lives. Now, that house is up for rent, and if you’ve ever wanted to tap into your inner Wes Anderson character, this might be your moment. Gothamist has the details on the home in question — it’s located in Harlem, and will cost you $20,000 per month.

The mansion is 8,000 square feet total, with six bedrooms, an elevator and both a chef’s kitchen and a butler kitchen.

In 2013, Anderson discussed the making of the film in an interview with Vulture, and offered plenty of information about the house in question. “[I]t was a real house,” Anderson said. “At the time I was very adamant that this would be a real place and that we have to make it a real place.”

Later in the interview, Anderson clarified just how much of the actual house made it into the film. “The roof was the real roof. It was all one place,” he recalled. “The only cheat was with their kitchen, which was in the house next door, because this place had no windows—it was not going to work. But the rest of it’s all there — it’s near Convent Avenue and 144th Street in Harlem, just north of City College.”

As iconic locations from beloved films go, this one’s hard to beat.

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