The Library

The New York Public Library is a huge marble building - the largest in the US at the time it was built in 1902.  This is actually just the main building of the organisation, which has about 80 libraries throughout the city.  A pair of famous marble lions named "Patience" and "Fortitude" guard the entrance.  The foyers and stairs are all on a grand scale and the ceilings decorated like some sort of church or palace.

Part of the main reading room

The main reading room is the size of a cathedral - the ceilings are 16 metres up and the room is 90 metres long!  In the 1980's they extended the library underground beneath Bryant Park (behind the library) to provide more storage space.

The library also has an exhibition space, which is currently showing items illustrating the range of their collection.  This included all sorts of personal letters from famous people, and documents like the declaration of independence, and a Gutenberg Bible, and Hitler's "Mein Kampf".  Also many drawings and maps, and handwritten compositions by Beethoven as well as John Lennon.  A huge range of stuff.

Library ceiling