The New York Public Library (NYPL) in Manhattan is over 23,000 square feet, making it the second largest public library in the United States. From the outside it is an iconic building guarded by the two world-famous marble lions Patience and Fortitude. But there is also plenty to admire inside the NYPL, such as a rare handwritten declaration of independence from Founding Father Thomas Jefferson.
History of the New York Public Library
At his death in 1886, Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York left most of his fortune to “establish and maintain a free library and reading room in the city of New York. In 1890, a Tilden trustee devised a plan to merge two existing private libraries, those of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox, and the Tilden Trust into The New York Public Library. The deal was signed and agreed to on May 23, 1895. In 1899, construction began on the New York Public Library, which took no less than 12 years. When it opened in 1911, the library welcomed more than 100,000 visitors and was the largest marble building in the United States.
The New York Public Library today
After opening in 1911, the NYPL grew into one of the largest libraries in the world, with millions of visitors every year. The building now has seven floors the size of a football field with more than 54 million items, from books, e-books and DVDs to renowned research collections used by scientists around the world. And the most popular room is The Rose Main Reading Room on the third floor.
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in New York
In 2008, the NYPL’s main building on 42nd Ave was renamed the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. This happened after Mr. Schwarzman, a Wall Street financier, donated more than $100 million to the institution.
Astor Hall at the New York Public Library
The Astor Hall at the NYPL is the first room you encounter when you enter the library through the main entrance on Fifth Avenue. Actually, the Astor Hall is more of a central hall, but one that you will not encounter anywhere else. The Astor Hall is decorated with beautiful marble arches, marble stairs, beautiful chandeliers and marble pillars, in which the names of the most important donors are engraved. You will also find a shop, coffee and toilets there.
Dewitt wallace perdorial room
The DeWitt Wallace Periodical Room (Room 108) in the New York Public Library is named after the founder of Readers Diggers magazine “Dewitt Wallace”. In the 1920s he spent hours in this room, which was then known as the “perdorial room”. The perdorial room had to be renovated in 1983, but there was insufficient money for that at the time, but thanks to a generous gift from the Wallace Fund, which was founded by Dewitt Wallace, the room could still be renovated. And today it is a beautiful space with elegant chandeliers, beautiful murals and wood decorations. You will also find more than 200 popular magazines and various domestic and foreign newspapers.
Rose Main Reading Room
The Rose Main Reading Room is one of the most famous and beautiful reading rooms in the world. This majestic space is spacious measuring 24 by 90 meters (approximately the length of two city blocks). The ceilings are 16 meters high and feature beautiful murals of vibrant skies and clouds. There are also elegant chandeliers and oak desks for reading. The Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library has also been used several times as a film location. Scenes from Ghostbusters (1984), Sex and the City (2008) and Breakfast at Tiffanys are recorded here.
Treasures in the New York Public Library
The New York Public Library has collected millions of items over the past 100 years. Some of the most special objects are on display in the Treasures exhibition, which is located directly opposite the main entrance. Here you will truly find the most beautiful treasures from the past, such as the
• Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence • 1789 Bill of Rights • the original Winnie the Pooh and his friends • Charles Dickens’ favorite letter opener • locks of hair from Charlotte Brontë, Mary Shelley, Walt Whitman and Wild Bill Hickok • The walking stick that Virginia Woolf left on the riverbank the day she committed suicide. • More than 40,000 restaurant menus – from 1850 to the present • A copy of the so-called “Wicked Bible,” printed in London in 1631
The marble lions Patience and Fortitude
The marble lions that stand in front of the main entrance of the New York Public Library were called “Patience and Fortitude” and are over 3 meters long without the tail. Originally named Lord Lennox and Lady Astor, they were nicknamed “Patience and Fortitude” by Mayor LaGuardia in 1930 because he felt New Yorkers needed these qualities to survive the Great Depression. Not everyone was happy with the choice to place African lions in front of the library. Teddy Roosevelt preferred two bison for the library, because he believed that wild bison should symbolize the American West. Today the two lions are extremely popular and have a role in the film ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)’ in which Patience and Fortitude come to life. And other images of the Library also come to life in this film.
Can tourists use the New York Public Library?
If you are not yet a New York Public Library cardholder, you can apply for a library card online. Even visitors from outside New York can obtain a library card that provides 3 months of access to the collections in the Public Library.
Is the New York Public Library worth a visit?
The New York Public Library is a library that you will not find anywhere else, as it has the appearance of a palace. The building consists almost entirely of marble and has beautiful ceilings and walls with artistic paintings, wooden decorations and elegant chandeliers. This beautiful building in New York is definitely worth a visit!
Visit the Public Library in New York
The Public Library in New York is free to visit and you can explore most of the rooms. Access to the Rose Main Reading Room on the third floor is limited. You can only visit this with a free guided tour or daily from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Public library New York
The New York Public Library (NYPL) in Manhattan is over 23,000 square feet, making it the second largest public library in the United States. From the outside it is an iconic building guarded by the two world-famous marble lions Patience and Fortitude. But there is also plenty to admire inside the NYPL, such as a rare handwritten declaration of independence from Founding Father Thomas Jefferson.
History of the New York Public Library
At his death in 1886, Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York left most of his fortune to “establish and maintain a free library and reading room in the city of New York. In 1890, a Tilden trustee devised a plan to merge two existing private libraries, those of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox, and the Tilden Trust into The New York Public Library. The deal was signed and agreed to on May 23, 1895. In 1899, construction began on the New York Public Library, which took no less than 12 years. When it opened in 1911, the library welcomed more than 100,000 visitors and was the largest marble building in the United States.
The New York Public Library today
After opening in 1911, the NYPL grew into one of the largest libraries in the world, with millions of visitors every year. The building now has seven floors the size of a football field with more than 54 million items, from books, e-books and DVDs to renowned research collections used by scientists around the world. And the most popular room is The Rose Main Reading Room on the third floor.
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in New York
In 2008, the NYPL’s main building on 42nd Ave was renamed the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. This happened after Mr. Schwarzman, a Wall Street financier, donated more than $100 million to the institution.
Astor Hall at the New York Public Library
The Astor Hall at the NYPL is the first room you encounter when you enter the library through the main entrance on Fifth Avenue. Actually, the Astor Hall is more of a central hall, but one that you will not encounter anywhere else. The Astor Hall is decorated with beautiful marble arches, marble stairs, beautiful chandeliers and marble pillars, in which the names of the most important donors are engraved. You will also find a shop, coffee and toilets there.
Dewitt wallace perdorial room
The DeWitt Wallace Periodical Room (Room 108) in the New York Public Library is named after the founder of Readers Diggers magazine “Dewitt Wallace”. In the 1920s he spent hours in this room, which was then known as the “perdorial room”. The perdorial room had to be renovated in 1983, but there was insufficient money for that at the time, but thanks to a generous gift from the Wallace Fund, which was founded by Dewitt Wallace, the room could still be renovated. And today it is a beautiful space with elegant chandeliers, beautiful murals and wood decorations. You will also find more than 200 popular magazines and various domestic and foreign newspapers.
Rose Main Reading Room
The Rose Main Reading Room is one of the most famous and beautiful reading rooms in the world. This majestic space is spacious measuring 24 by 90 meters (approximately the length of two city blocks). The ceilings are 16 meters high and feature beautiful murals of vibrant skies and clouds. There are also elegant chandeliers and oak desks for reading. The Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library has also been used several times as a film location. Scenes from Ghostbusters (1984), Sex and the City (2008) and Breakfast at Tiffanys are recorded here.
Treasures in the New York Public Library
The New York Public Library has collected millions of items over the past 100 years. Some of the most special objects are on display in the Treasures exhibition, which is located directly opposite the main entrance. Here you will truly find the most beautiful treasures from the past, such as the
• Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence
• 1789 Bill of Rights
• the original Winnie the Pooh and his friends
• Charles Dickens’ favorite letter opener
• locks of hair from Charlotte Brontë, Mary Shelley, Walt Whitman and Wild Bill Hickok
• The walking stick that Virginia Woolf left on the riverbank the day she committed suicide.
• More than 40,000 restaurant menus – from 1850 to the present
• A copy of the so-called “Wicked Bible,” printed in London in 1631
The marble lions Patience and Fortitude
The marble lions that stand in front of the main entrance of the New York Public Library were called “Patience and Fortitude” and are over 3 meters long without the tail. Originally named Lord Lennox and Lady Astor, they were nicknamed “Patience and Fortitude” by Mayor LaGuardia in 1930 because he felt New Yorkers needed these qualities to survive the Great Depression. Not everyone was happy with the choice to place African lions in front of the library. Teddy Roosevelt preferred two bison for the library, because he believed that wild bison should symbolize the American West. Today the two lions are extremely popular and have a role in the film ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)’ in which Patience and Fortitude come to life. And other images of the Library also come to life in this film.
Can tourists use the New York Public Library?
If you are not yet a New York Public Library cardholder, you can apply for a library card online. Even visitors from outside New York can obtain a library card that provides 3 months of access to the collections in the Public Library.
Is the New York Public Library worth a visit?
The New York Public Library is a library that you will not find anywhere else, as it has the appearance of a palace. The building consists almost entirely of marble and has beautiful ceilings and walls with artistic paintings, wooden decorations and elegant chandeliers. This beautiful building in New York is definitely worth a visit!
Visit the Public Library in New York
The Public Library in New York is free to visit and you can explore most of the rooms. Access to the Rose Main Reading Room on the third floor is limited. You can only visit this with a free guided tour or daily from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
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