New York City Sights

Morgan Library and Museum

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Morgan Library and Museum Review

The treasures inside this museum, gathered by John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), one of New York's wealthiest financiers, are exceptional: medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, old master drawings and prints, rare books, and autographed literary and musical manuscripts. Crowning achievements produced on paper, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, are on view here: letters penned by John Keats and Thomas Jefferson; a summary of the theory of relativity in Einstein's own elegant handwriting; three Gutenberg Bibles; drawings by Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Blake, and Rembrandt; the only known manuscript fragment of Milton's Paradise Lost; Thoreau's journals; and original manuscripts and letters by Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, Thomas Pynchon, and many others.

The library shop is within an 1852 Italianate brownstone, once the home of Morgan's son, J. P. Morgan Jr. Outside on East 36th Street, the sphinx in the right-hand sculptured panel of the original library's facade was rumored to wear the face of architect Charles McKim.

    Contact Information

  • Address: 225 Madison Ave., at 36th St.Murray Hill, New York, NY 10016 | Map It
  • Phone: 212/685-0008
  • Cost: $15; Free Fri. 7--9
  • Hours: Tues.--Thurs. 10:30--5, Fri. 10:30--9, Sat. 10--6, Sun. 11--6
  • Website:
  • Subway: B, D, F, N, Q, R, V to 34th St./Herald Sq.; 6 to 33rd St.
  • Location: Midtown East

Fodorite Reviews

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    A small gem

    One of New York's best little museums, and an utter must for book lovers. Morgan's ornate study and original library space alone is well worth a look. Has a small but attractive collection of art work and several small exhibits relating to books in some way. Definitely merits seeing.

    by bachslunch, 12/14/08

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