The Morgan Library & Museum

You have to be a nerd to appreciate a library, once you get past that hurdle /​this may be one of the most spectacular libraries we have barring nypl. The works of arts in the rotunda are exquisite.

I really like this library and museum. The library portion is free on Tuesdays and is worth it even without the museum. His personal study is gorgeous. Just walking around the old classic books and seeing the high pretty ceilings was worth the $ 0 price of admission (more on not Tuesday’s. I think it’s also free on Saturdays at some time. Check the website). Art exhibits rotate and they have speakers and movie viewings and jazz bands and other events throughout the year. Hey have a cute in the main corridor which I haven’t been to but hear is good.

Friday nights are free at the Morgan and there isn’t a huge line up so it’s a great place to kick off the weekend. There are some really interesting exhibits here, cutting a swathe as wide as Mesopotonia to Warhol. What I enjoyed the most though was simply marveling at the Morgans’ expansive libraries, studies and ceilings. The interiors are nothing short of opulent and quite breathtaking to see. I highly recommend adding this to your New York bucket list!

One of my new favorite museums. Ended up here on Easter Sunday after attempting to go to Macy’s which was closed. She vetoed the Empire State building so we went here instead. It looks pretty small when you walk in but there was definitely enough to keep us occupied a few hours. If you love old books, you will love this place. There were copies of the bible from the sixteenth century, old copies of all the classics you read in school, etc. Piermont Morgan’s study was stunning! There’s a Warhol exhibit going on now of book illustrations that was pretty cool.

We came here for free on Smithsonian day. From the outside, you would never guess how elaborately decorated/​designed the library is and that was the main draw for us. Once you step into the library, there’s a sensory overload as your mind starts to register everything that is calling for your attention. There are the murals on the ceilings, endless amount of books lined up on shelves on the walls of the room, a fancy fireplace, and an elaborately patterned carpet on the floor. It’s a very small museum so you can get in and out in about 1 — 1.5 hrs. There’s a seating area on the main level that is well lit with natural light and would be a good spot for reading/​sketching/​chatting with friends.

I squeezed in a visit here right before my bus left in the afternoon, so my visit was rushed and I did not get to spend as much time as I would have liked. I came for the Wagner Ring Cycle exhibit, which featured a number of Wagner’s original scores and writings. There was also an exhibit on Andy Warhol.
Besides the special exhibits, the main library houses (among other things) three Gutenberg bibles, American treasures (like a letter from John Adams or the original edition of Leaves of Grass), musical classics (original scores of Mozart and Debussy), and an uncountable number of incredibly rare books. The items on library are rotated, but each room has its own theme (e.g. Americana)
There are free audio guides available, and I saw some guided tours being lead as well.

I was wandering around Midtown with some to spare, and resolved to go into the next museum that I happened to walk by. Amazingly, it ended up being this one, which is now one of my favorite museums of all time!
It is truly uncanny that I happened to find this place that is so perfectly me. First of all, I love books and the collecting of antiquarian books and libraries. This is certainly a perfect place for that! Secondly, J.P. Morgan was quite the traveler, and traveled around the world collecting books and historic artifacts — and travel is my other passion. Also, of course as he was THE J.P. Morgan, his life was very entwined with finance and the stock market, which is also my job and an interest of mine. And so, this place was perfect for me.
At $ 18, this museum is pricey, especially for being so small. But if you are a book lover, I would say it is worth it, as the library is just stunning, probably the most beautiful that I have ever seen. There are floors and floors of books in 360 views everywhere, the room itself is breathtaking, and every single book is an antiquarian gem, remarkably well preserved and very old. The special books behind glass were gorgeous. There is also a study with even more books, which additionally houses a vault with — yes, even more books!
Photography is permitted in the main entrance room, the study, and the library (though I got chided for filming video), but not in any of the other exhibits.
In addition to being a heaven of books, there are many other interesting little exhibits — most notably, those on Alice in Wonderland and Andy Warhol.
And though ordinarily the souvenir bookshops of these places are to avoided, this one was different. I would love to go back when I have more space to actually buy something (I am backpacking, so minimalism is key and heavy books are unfortunately an impossibility). There were many things and gifts in there that any book lover would want, and if you enjoy books-​about-​books, the selection is great.
I love this place!

Decided on a whim to come here with a couple of pals yesterday. We got to the museum around 5:10 and found out the library portion is free on Sundays from 4 – 6. Perfect!
The library is completely breathtaking and gorgeous and enthralling. I’m in love. Looking forward to coming back to spend a good hour or two in the museum portion next time.

Went on a Friday night, 7 – 9, free! There are other times, but that’s when we went.
They had a video on Andy Warhol, but we only watched about 10~ minutes. It wasn’t our cup of tea.
Very scenic museum. I would say their pieces are limited, but the libraries are gorgeous. The visuals of the living room and the library with the balconies and all the books is amazing.
They had a Guttenberg Bible. That’s pretty cool.
They had a special exhibit on the 3^rd floor and we had no idea what it even was. But, people looked so fascinated by it. (Wagner’s Rings: forging an epic). I’ve never even heard of it.
I’d probably go back to show friends and family the visuals, but I would do it during the free times. It is worth a see though.

I might as well admit it upfront — I don’t like the renovation! Now you may say, well that was done years ago, true .It’s been years since I went here. I think the last time I was here, a first renovation was done. I think a second has been done since. What’s the problem? Put simply — waste space. The building has a helter skelter feeling to it with lots of empty pointless space with neither form or function. Note: any renovation of The Frick must resisted.
I actually hated to say the above, pre renovation it was very nice. There are still some lovely paintings and pieces of sculpture and a few of the rooms are very impressive in a somewhat over the top way. At $ 18 — you’re not getting good bang for the buck. At present there is a moderately interesting exhibit on Wagner and Art and a dull Andy Warhol exhibit. Now Warhol as a cultural phenomenon is interesting, as an artist it’s yawn time. The Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh is interesting because it functions almost as much as a history museum as an art museum. But Warhol grates when you look at him as an artist or as a person rather than as some kind of signifier.

Stumbled upon this museum on Unilocal on Thursday night and decided to go the next day for free admission on Fridays from 7pm to 9pm.
I was surprised to find that the small museum was happening at this time. The main atrium had live music (piano and guitar) and a small café (which I believe served alcohol). It seemed to be a popular date destination, so my boyfriend and I fit right in.
One area of the museum was the old building that housed Morgan’s (of JP Morgan) personal library. The architecture and books in this section were the highlight of the museum. Two other areas held what I believe were rotating exhibits, one on Ernest Hemingway and one on composer, Richard Wagner.
When I arrived, there was only one hour till closing. I told my boyfriend, who has museum FOMO, that he could NOT read every single placard. One hour was definitely enough time to just look at everything in the small museum. I think we would have been disappointed if we had paid admission even if we done a more thorough visit.

Little known gem. What a collection of rare books and manuscripts! The home itself is astounding. Such opulence. Additional museum space surrounds the original home. Hemingway exhibit was a treat.

This place was built over a hundred years ago to house J.P. Morgan’s private library. The collection contains many books, manuscripts, drawings and prints. Some of the more famous holdings include a manuscript of a symphony by Mozart and a drawing by Peter Paul Rubens. While an impressive collection for an individual, I found this place small and below average as a museum. Definitely not worth the regular $ 18 admission. Stop by during free Friday nights instead.

Perhaps my most favorite museum in the city thus far. The library room is out of Beauty and the Beast, but with bibles and history books from the 1900’s. Each room is a world of its own. The loveliest, though, was the Lewis Carrol and Alice in Wonderland exhibit. I could have gone to see multiple times and still find it enchanting. With original copies of the book, and the story behind the story… it. Was. So. Cool. (!)
Go find that little door and dive right into this place.

I can’t believe I live around the corner from this place and only recently visited. I went there for the Hemingway exhibition, which did not disappoint. You can read handwritten, personal letters between him and Dorothy Parker, for example, and get a good chuckle out of them.
The Morgan library room is definitely a must-​see just for the sheer collection of art and books lined up on the walls.
I went there on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn’t crowded at all– a rarity in any New York museum.

Morgan Library & Museum is a curious space. If you ever watched (or, more likely, being addicted to) Warehouse 13, you would understand the feeling one would get walking through the library. Tall, sky-​high shelves of books, hidden behind the gates, with metal walkways encompassing the rooms. It’s a beautiful sight.
Special exhibitions are wonderful as well — my personal favorite was seeing Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s original drawings and reading about history of it — incredible…
On Fridays, 7−9pm, admission is free — and there is usually live music performances on main floor, great times to explore the library for first time or come back for current exhibitions.
One of my favorite places in NYC, absolutely must visit.

Another museum/​library I visit with family and friends. I usually go because a special exhibit is something I must see. I know the permanent collection by heart now.
I do find it a little pricy. The place is worth it if you want to see a special photography or other exhibit. I’ve seen this property grow and improve. They have expanded and made renovations that modernize the grounds while protecting the feel of the home. It’s another escape from the crazy noise and streets full of people in Manhattan. You can’t put a price on that!
Right now they have a timely exhibit of Charles Dickens. Another current exhibit is on Ernest Hemingway. It’s time for me to return.
Admission is free on Fridays 7 – 9 pm. They have varying hours so check the web site. They are closed on Mondays. Check out the hours during the holidays. They will be open the Monday following Christmas this year, December 28^th.
You can get a lot of valuable information from the website. It’s like other museums I review, you know what you enjoy. My experiences are individual to my tastes. You can bet on one thing, if I go over and over that means they treat patrons kindly, they are organized, and the place has the amenities to make your visit comfortable. Oh, one more, there are plenty if my favorite eats in the neighborhood!

A very beautiful, well kept museum, which houses the Morgan Library. The library harkens back to a time when books were treasured and much time was spent on the bindings and writings. I loved the serene feeling of each reading room and the multitude of old books. This is the kind of place where I could spend all day getting lost in a novel. There are some other interesting exhibits here as well, including some old Assyrian rolling stamp showpieces.

This place is a gem!
Not overly large so that I’m lost for days/​overwhelmed like the MET or MOMA. I feel like if you gave yourself a good day here, you could get what you want from this place.
The library is beautiful with some AMAZING works. One of the Guttenberg Bibles, triptychs from the Renaissance, and original pieces from Mozart, Stravinsky, etc.
I was there initially to see the Ernest Hemingway exhibit and was immediately floored with the curation. I saw the first draft of The Sun Also Rises, and read some of his handwritten love letters. Furthermore, there were letters from F. Scott Fitzgerald talking about their friendship and thoughts of his book. It was really just breath-​taking and a step back in time.
Since we were here on a Sunday, we also got to enjoy some amazing jazz music in the café area. Front my understanding, there’s a relationship with New School, so they bring artists in from there.
Such a lovely day, museum, and set-​up.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This is a gorgeous home turned museum.
There aren’t as many exhibits as other museums, but the pieces that are there are incredibly old and fabulous.
A must!

This isn’t cheap for the size of the museum, but if it aligns with your interests, it’s worth every penny! In my case, architecture and illuminated manuscripts. Done.
The entrance addition by Renzo Piano is gorgeous. There’s an airy, light-​filled café in the atrium and the rotating exhibits when I went were specialized and well curated. Learning more about Matisse’s book designs was fascinating, and the exhibit on Hemingway was a thorough look at his early life presented in a compelling storyline.
Honestly, the above exhibits were icing on the cake. I was really all about seeing the Morgan Library (a McKim Mead and White building) and the gems within. It’s a breathtaking space, truly, and the manuscripts on display are just unreal. It’s impossible to describe, it has to be seen. Definitely worth the trip!

The Library of your dreams and open to the public. A café in a three story open air glass everywhere space that makes you forget the subway ride to get there (even if you have a driver, its still cooler not to spew out more hydrocarbons than needed).
For construction geeks, check out the 8′ high + four sided single sheet elevator walls and the merging of the old and new spaces.
Thanks to my school teachers who brought me here so long ago to see the rare books, secret panel doors and beautiful finishes. I’d like to think that the Library will help instill the importance of knowledge in a different setting to the kids that have yet to visit, especially in this day and age when even 5 year olds tells their Dads to «Google it» when confounded with a question.
Not as immense as when you were 12 years old, so make sure to bring the kids here before then.
Almost forgot to mention the hostess was very nice with a smile that never waned. My waiter, CB, was as nice as he could be taking the time to take a few pictures for me, took my order and got me my lunch and bill all in under 40 minutes (at my request to rush).

To be honest, it was hard for me to totally «get into» this museum given the current political climate and the expanding — perhaps ephemerally, but expanding no less — «discursive space» for discussing economic inequality and its corrosive social effectives. Not exactly something that makes you want to go to a museum that, however good, basically doubles as an ode to an exploitative Gilded Age villain. Most of his decorating tastes were actually pretty ostentatious and what we’d call «tacky» today. The museum extensions are much cleaner and classier, though, and there are always a couple solid exhibits. We saw a nice Ernest Hemingway exhibit, for example.
I went with my friend Hope (lived in the same dumpy dorm room floor as her college freshman year) and her sister Joy. Hope and Joy: surprise, surprise, they have two Christian parents. They also brought along their friend Serena, who gets 50% discounts at the GAP because she designs some of their clothes and marketing campaigns. The three of us not named Joy are what I call «museum blazers» — we blaze through and get the point in like 20 minutes. Joy is a «museum sponge.» She likes to «soak up» each items and is the kind of person you see reading the captions. Surprised she didn’t just go «all in» and get the self-​guided audio tour and app. LOL!
I bring this up because there is plenty of seating if you’re a blazer but your friend is a sponge. (I made up this typology in 30 seconds, so sue me if you don’t like it.) The seating is kind of hilarious, though. Looks Crate and Barrelish and mid-​tier, totally incongruous with how garish the rest of the museum is.
So 5 stars for CONTENT and 1 star for form (not the museum folks’ fault exactly). Average = THREE STARS. #dothemath

Open House NY 2015 weekend enabled my Meetup to explore, piqued and immerse with the grand scale intricate architecture of John Pierpont «J.P.» Morgan’s library. An American financier, banker, and art collector who preserved, collected and valued books of all genres, includes various versions of The Bible lies here behind the glass bookcase cabinets. It is complete with a grand fireplace, chandeliers, Mahoney desks, and period era furniture. It appears to be first editions hardcopy or out-​of-​print copy. A personal library collection of J. Pierpont Morgan. It begs the question: Did he actually read all these books on hand? For the book worm it makes one truly appreciate and value books. Books are knowledge and knowledge leads to power. In the 2015 era where, unfortunately, progress advances with technology as Kindle, Nook or e-​book to eliminate paper the sense and longing for books and paper will not fade as long as people like J. Pierpont Morgan continues to preserve, value and appreciate a good quality book.
The architecture of The Morgan library is beautiful. Admission is the traditional metal pins to be worn on clothing at all times. The Morgan Library also serves as a museum which enabled my Meetup group a guided tour of Ernest Hemingway exhibit. It is a veey detailed exhibit documenting the early teenage life to his military service in Paris, France to his many loves, to his rise as a American literary figure with all his renowned works of original manuscripts, literary journals, notes that shaped and molded his work. For all writers, poets and literary Hemingway affectionadio you will be immersed in a great writer with this exhibit!

This place is overpriced, but worth it on free days! The architecture inside is stunning and reminiscent of Europe. The collection of old books is remarkable and they have a few on display in glass cases so that you can see how well they are preserved and try to read some ancient texts. The ceilings are painted so make sure you look up! There are also interesting carvings in the fireplaces, so check those out.
The upstairs and downstairs exhibits are usually alright, but the real highlight is the actual Morgan rooms, not the museum. The exhibit on the Bible was pretty well done though with artifacts in cases as well.
I’ve never eaten there but the seating area is quite nice and the modern architecture is an interesting juxtaposition to the old school architecture in the rest of the building. Beautiful glasswork.
Overall, I certainly wouldn’t pay $ 26 to go, but I would go back for free again on a Friday.

Gorgeous architecture. Beautiful, intricate details. Neat pieces. Magnificent rooms.
Friendly employees at the front but not as friendly of monitors in the actual library.
Military members and family don’t have to pay an entrance fee (woo hoo!) and they have discounted entrance rates for seniors and students. Free Friday evenings!
Restaurant inside if you want to grab a snack or meal. Bathrooms and other facilities are clean and modern.
Cool, small museum and a must see for all book lovers.

Gehört mit Sicherheit zu den beeindruckendsten Museen der Stadt. Mir gefällt die Kleinteiligkeit der verschiedenen Ausstellungen, so dass es für jeden etwas gibt, das sein Interesse finden sollte. Unbedingt die ehemals privaten Räume in der Bibliothek anschauen — grossartig !