First established in 1987 following the death of Ben-Zion, Lillian Ben-Zion and Tabita Shalem envisioned the preservation of the legacy of the artist by archiving, documenting, and maintaining his prolific body of work. They catalogued over 4,000 artworks in the estate, as well as in museum and private collections. The ordering and translating of Ben-Zion’s writings, much of which were in Hebrew, commenced during this period. They maintained the unique nature of the living and studio space containing the vast collections of ancient and ethnographic artifacts as Ben-Zion lived and worked in it, while simultaneously curating an interior which would welcome art lovers and professionals alike.

Since her death in 2012, the Historic Chelsea brownstone has received countless guests visiting from all over the world. The estate endeavors to photographically document the full extent of the interior of the home studio, and organize exhibitions which will bring this important legacy to the public domain.