New York City has long been at the heart of America’s literary scene, serving as the setting for countless stories.
With a population of just under 8.5 million people, New York offers a library for every taste, from historic landmarks to niche inventories. These are the top NYC libraries to add to your list.
Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library & Museum, the former library of famed banker J.P. Morgan, contains an outstanding selection of historical manuscripts, early printed books, and other significant works. Constructed between 1902 and 1906, it was constructed within a Renaissance-era palazzo, with three rooms covered with frescoes, imposing bookcases, and prized written materials on display.
This being a cross between a research library and a museum means that you’ll need to buy entry tickets to access the facility. At the time of writing this article, the passes are priced at $25, but visitors are allowed to enter the café and shop for free.
Address: 225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday: Closed
– Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10:30AM – 5PM
– Friday: 10:30AM – 8PM
Jefferson Market Library
Back in the day, the Jefferson Market Library was just a courthouse in Greenwich Village, but nowadays, it’s one of New York’s most popular libraries. Following a unique Victorian Gothic style, it serves as both a literary gem and an architectural marvel with detailed arched brick spaces, stained glass windows, and grand sculptures.
Jefferson Market Library’s collection is as varied as can be, with a few particular standouts that book lovers will appreciate. Some of these include rare texts covering New York City’s history and old images related to the Jefferson Market Library and the courthouse that was once here.
Address: 425 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 10AM – 8PM
– Friday and Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Sunday: 1PM – 5PM
New York Public Library – Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Out of all the New York Public Library’s areas, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building is among the most impressive. Between the marvelous ceiling frescoes in the Rose Main Reading Room and the warm vintage feel you experience as soon as you enter the Vartan Gregorian Research Center, it’s a must for every bibliophile coming to NYC.
This location, situated beside Bryant Park, is celebrated for its historical written materials, with rows of bookcases holding endless rare texts, manuscripts, and some incredible works of art.
Address: 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday, Thursday to Saturday: 10AM – 6PM
– Tuesday and Wednesday: 10AM – 8PM
– Sunday: 1PM – 5PM
Brooklyn Public Library – Brooklyn Heights Branch
Brooklyn Public Library’s Brooklyn Heights Branch has been a massive hit in the community ever since its opening in 2022. With selected meeting rooms, reading zones, and plenty of literature for visitors to enjoy, it’s no wonder it’s so popular.
Unlike a lot of libraries in NYC that have a historic element to them, the Brooklyn Heights Branch is quite the opposite. The space is flooded with light, featuring pristine white bookcases along the floor, while overhead lighting showcases the collections in contemporary fashion.
Address: 286 Cadman Plz W, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 10AM – 6PM
– Tuesday: 1PM – 8PM
– Thursday: 10AM – 8PM
– Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Sunday: 1PM – 5PM
The New York Society Library
Known for being the city’s oldest library, the New York Society Library was established in 1754. For such a long-standing location, it has managed to retain the old-world charm of its days as a townhouse, with timeless decor, while incorporating modern additions, such as plush reading rooms.
Across the New York Society Library, you’ll be treated to a vast inventory of approximately 300,000 volumes. Pretty much every topic is covered here, including history, art, travel, fiction, social science, and some insightful reads regarding New York City.
Address: 53 E 79th St, New York, NY 10075, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 9AM – 8PM
– Friday: 9AM – 5PM
– Saturday and Sunday: 11AM – 5PM
Poets House
Everyone should swing by the Poets House on the Hudson River to go through its archive of roughly 70,000 poetry-related materials. Whether you want to get your hands on a book, journal, or something from a special collection, as long as it’s something to do with poetry, you’ll likely come across it at the Poets House.
This national poetry library has ensured that all of its offerings are either written in English or, if they’re in another language, they’ve been translated. While there are plenty of different poetry styles on display, they place a particular emphasis on contemporary American publications.
Address: 10 River Ter., New York, NY 10282, United States
Opening hours:
– Sunday and Monday: Closed
– Tuesday to Friday: 11AM – 7PM
– Saturday: 11AM – 6PM
The Morbid Anatomy Library and Gift Shop
The Morbid Anatomy Library and Gift Shop is certainly a place that will attract a very particular type of reader. Its focus is on the study of mortality, exploring a topic that many people fear through literature, images, and art. Their goal is to help visitors understand the subject rather than be afraid of it, and what better way to do so than through a library?
As you delve deeper into the Morbid Anatomy Library’s holdings, you’ll encounter books on some very niche topics, such as sexology, anatomical art, and, of course, death and culture. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop as well; it’s full of quirky items, such as Mexican masks and tarot cards.
Address: 254 36th St 2nd floor, C248, Brooklyn, NY 11232, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: Closed
– Saturday and Sunday: 12PM – 5PM
Bloomingdale Library
A short stroll from Central Park, the Bloomingdale Library is a two-floor facility that serves the wider Manhattan area. On level one, visitors have a general reference collection, as well as a selection for lending on topics of interest to adults, such as the latest bestsellers. The second level has been laid out for younger people, with a catalogue of children’s books.
The Bloomingdale Library has a traditional community atmosphere, attracting many locals to its spacious building, with low bookcases and plenty of seating for reading and studying.
Address: 150 W 100th St, New York, NY 10025, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday and Tuesday: 10AM – 7PM
– Wednesday and Thursday: 11AM – 7PM
– Friday and Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Sunday: Closed
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is a specialty library tucked away on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Much of the material is centered around theater, music, and film, earning itself a considerable reputation as one of the NYPL’s most respected research institutions.
Across the NYPL for the Performing Arts complex, there are numerous interesting areas, including the Harvey Fierstein Theater Lab, a space designed for theater makers and artists. It was set up to teach people curious about the industry while providing them with a workspace to improve their creative projects.
Address: 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday and Thursday: 10:30AM – 8PM
– Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 10:30AM – 6PM
– Sunday: Closed
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
If you happen to be in Harlem, be sure to set aside some time to visit the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. An inspiring library dedicated to literature connected to African American and African Diaspora experiences, it boasts an extensive array of over 11 million works for visitors to browse.
Besides written texts, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture plays host to many exhibitions. Currently, they’re showcasing the ‘100: A Century of Collections, Community, and Creativity,’ which takes people through the legacy of the library’s holdings.
Address: 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10037, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 10AM – 5:45PM
– Sunday: Closed
Webster Library (NYPL)
Another one of New York’s historical libraries is the Webster Library, which has a legacy dating back to 1893. Bearing the name of Charles B. Webster, who gifted the original building, the library was hugely popular with Czech immigrants for some time, but now caters to people of all backgrounds in the city.
Spanning three floors, the Webster Library has a few different sections of curated works for people of all ages, including adults, children, and teenagers, so no matter how old you are, there’s something here for you.
Address: 1465 York Ave, New York, NY 10075, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 11AM – 7PM
– Friday and Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Sunday: Closed
New York Academy of Medicine Library
Housing one of the world’s most significant medical libraries, the New York Academy of Medicine Library highlights materials that reveal how historical techniques and modern advancements have merged to form today’s medical knowledge.
Since opening its doors in 1878, the New York Academy of Medicine Library has shifted its focus to medical history, steadily building a huge repository of books that now occupy its shelves.
Address: 1216 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9AM – 5PM
– Saturday and Sunday: Closed
