New York Public Library

If you’re planning a trip to New York City, you won’t want to miss visiting the historic New York Public Library, which features a number of attractions—Astor Hall, the Gutenberg Bible, the Rose Reading Room, and the McGraw Rotunda—which each carries a certain historical significance to this NYC staple.

Patience and Fortitude, the world-renowned pair of marble lions that stand proudly before the majestic Beaux-Arts building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street in Manhattan, have captured the imagination and affection of New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world since the Library was dedicated on May 23, 1911.

The site of the Croton Reservoir was chosen for the new library and its design was conceived by Doctor John Shaw Billings, director of the New York Public Library. When the building opened, it was the largest marble building in the United States and home to over one million books. The building that most people think of as the New York Public Library is actually the Humanities and Social Sciences Library—one of five research libraries and 81 branch libraries that make up the New York Public Library system.

The New York Public Library is located at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue in Midtown East and takes up two blocks between 42nd and 40th streets.

Admission is free, with the exception of some lectures that require advanced tickets to attend; for hours of operation, contact information, and details regarding tour times and special events visit the official website before planning your trip to the NY Public Library.