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New York Public Library, New York, NY

Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicFreeRainy-Day Pick

New York Public Library

476 Fifth Ave · New York, NY

Why you should go…

The library's main building, designed by Carrère and Hastings, opened in 1911 on Fifth Avenue with Bryant Park behind it. Two Tennessee marble lions named Patience and Fortitude flank the entrance. Inside, the Rose Main Reading Room runs 297 feet under a 52-foot ceiling, and the Polonsky Exhibition in Gottesman Hall shows items such as a Gutenberg Bible, Jefferson's handwritten Declaration of Independence and the original Winnie-the-Pooh dolls.

  • #historic library
  • #beaux-arts architecture
  • #free exhibition
  • #reading room
  • #midtown manhattan

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to New York Public Library, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Bryant Park

    Free

    Relax on the lawn behind the New York Public Library, play games, ride the carousel or skate in winter.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

    $25–$50

    Mirrored infinity rooms, glass skyboxes, and Midtown views from 1,000+ feet above Grand Central, one of NYC's most photographed observation decks.

    Steps awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Grand Central Terminal

    Free

    The 1913 Beaux-Arts landmark with a starry celestial ceiling, the famous opal clock, and a Whispering Gallery, free to wander.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    Date Night

    The Museum of Broadway

    $25–$50

    An interactive Times Square museum tracing Broadway from its beginnings to tonight's marquees, packed with costumes, props, and photo-ready sets.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Chrysler Building

    Free

    See the stainless steel Art Deco crown from the street, then step into the red granite lobby with its ceiling mural.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Rockefeller Center

    Free

    Stroll an Art Deco complex of plazas, public art, shops and a skating rink, with Top of the Rock observation decks above.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this