Forget The New York Public Library, Visit This Intimate NYC Library-Turned-Museum Once Owned By JP Morgan

When a bibliophile visits New York, chances are the New York Public Library is high on their list. But just off Madison Avenue, in a little-known corner of Midtown Manhattan just blocks from the Empire State Building, is a bookish attraction more opulent, more intimate, and much less crowded. 

Morgan Library and Museum, or The Morgan as it's often called, began in the final decade of the 19th century as a place to store financier J.P. Morgan's private collection of books and manuscripts with the aim of an eventual public opening. And that is indeed what became of the Morgan Library, an Italian Renaissance-style building, where Morgan's collection of rare and antiquarian books is no longer the only star of the show. Now a much-expanded museum exhibiting art and cultural artifacts in curated rotating exhibitions, the Morgan has lived up to its founder's dream of opening his personal collection to the scholars and book-lovers of the future, ranking among the top TikTok-approved libraries in the U.S.

Visitors interested in more than rare books will still find plenty to explore at the Morgan Library and Museum. In addition to its renowned manuscript and book collection, the museum highlights art, architecture, interior design, and cultural history, offering a quieter and more intimate setting than many of Manhattan's larger institutions.

When the prestigious architecture firm of McKim, Mead & White designed a library inspired by an Italian Renaissance palazzo for wealthy financier J.P. Morgan, it was intended to house Morgan's growing collection of rare antiquarian books. That it was meant for personal use is evident in its intimate, almost domestic feel, an impressive feat of design in a building of its size, and this allows you to examine and digest exhibits at your own pace. Travelers on Tripadvisor suggest a stop of one to two hours for a comprehensive visit, and it's a great activity for a rainy day in NYC.

The Morgan's permanent collection draws visitors with rarities like a Gutenberg Bible, the original musical score of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero," etchings by master engraver Albrecht Dürer, and one of the rare early printed copies of the Declaration of Independence, while rotating exhibitions keep things fresh. Recent exhibitions have included musical manuscripts and personal documents from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and an in-depth exhibition focused on a famous Caravaggio painting, "Boy With a Basket of Fruit," loaned from the prestigious Galleria Borghese — one of the most romantic destinations to visit in Rome. The Morgan is open e