New York, NY 10018
Enter the building via the main entrance on Fifth Avenue, or the accessible entrances at 40th Street and 42nd Street.
See Accessibility DetailsDay | Hours |
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Monday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Tuesday | 10 AM–8 PM |
Wednesday | 10 AM–8 PM |
Thursday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Friday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Saturday | 10 AM–6 PM |
Sunday | 1 PM–5 PM |
Welcome to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
The New York Public Library’s flagship location, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, is one of the Library’s premier research centers, renowned for its extraordinary historical collections and its commitment to providing free and equal access to its resources.
Learn more about research collections and services at the Schwarzman Building.
Start Your Journey at the Library's Visitor Center
Discover the Library’s legacy and collections through interactive exhibits and more in this new public space. Learn more.
Explore the Building: Download a Map | Descargue un mapa | 在此处下载大楼地图
Visit the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures
For more than 125 years, The New York Public Library has collected, preserved, and made accessible the world’s knowledge. Now, for the first time, the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures, now open at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million in our collections, inspiring and empowering visitors to discover, learn, and create new knowledge—today and in the years ahead. Learn more.
In the Spotlight
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Plan Your Visit
Make the most of your visit to the Library’s flagship Fifth Avenue location!
Please note that last entry to the building is 15 minutes before closure. See building hours above.
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New! Free Audio Tour & Digital Guide on Bloomberg Connects
Download Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app, and take a self-guided tour on your mobile device to explore the history, architecture, and services offered at our Fifth Avenue locations.
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Rose Main Reading Room
We are pleased to welcome patrons to the historic Rose Main Reading Room for research and quiet study. If you're just visiting but would like to see the Rose Main Reading Room, sign up for a free daily guided tour or join us for visiting hour from 10 to 11 AM, Monday through Saturday. Final entry during visiting hour is 10:50 AM.
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Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities
Located on the second floor of the Schwarzman Building, the Gregorian Center offers research programs and classes, opportunities for long-term use of the collections, and support for researchers of all kinds.
Featured at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
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Research at the Schwarzman Building
The Library's research divisions contain art, artifacts, manuscripts, multimedia, rare books, and more across a wide range of subjects. Begin your exploration of the collections at the Schwarzman Building.
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Visit the Library Shop
Located on the first floor of The New York Public Library's landmark building on 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue, the Library Shop & Café is an essential stop for visitors to NYPL's flagship location.
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From Our Blog
Check out blogs from the expert librarians and staff at the Schwarzman Building.
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Meet the Library’s Lions
Standing guard since 1911, the Library’s marble lions acquired their nicknames, Patience and Fortitude, in the 1930s.
Current Exhibitions
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Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures
OngoingStephen A. Schwarzman BuildingThe Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56…
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The Skeleton Caricatures of Posada | Las meras meras calaveras de Posada
OngoingOnline OnlyStephen A. Schwarzman BuildingThis online exhibition presents a selection of Posada’s calaveras and announces the digitization of the entirety of the Library’s Posada… -
Pride & Privacy: LGBTQ+ Visibility in Library Collections
OngoingOnline OnlyStephen A. Schwarzman BuildingThe lives of people who identify as LGBTQ+, more than those of others, have often historically been shaped by questions of visibility…
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Banned: Censorship and the Freedom to Read
OngoingOnline OnlyStephen A. Schwarzman BuildingThis online exhibition, accompanied by a curriculum guide and temporary displays of material, explores censorship in the United States,…
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Byron: A Life in Motion
Through January 12, 2025Stephen A. Schwarzman Building -
Line & Thread: Prints and Textiles from the 1600s to the Present
Through January 12, 2025Stephen A. Schwarzman BuildingThis exhibition, which starts with a section of historical examples that illustrate overlaps between prints and textiles, examines how…
Events
See All-
Richard Powers with Marlon James: Playground
Tuesday, October 8 | 7 PM -
NYPL's Annual College Fair
Wednesday, October 9 | 10 AM -
Getting Started with Archives
Wednesday, October 9 | 12 PM -
Speaking of Language: Latinidad, Identity and Self-Perception
Wednesday, October 9 | 4 PM -
Getting Started in Local History Research
Thursday, October 10 | 1 PM -
The Global Seventeenth Century: Rembrandt and Beyond
Friday, October 11 | 11 AM
About the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building is part of The New York Public Library, which consists of four major research libraries and 88 branch libraries located in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Often referred to as the "main branch," the Beaux-Arts landmark building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street houses outstanding research collections in the humanities and social sciences. The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building is currently undergoing a renovation. Learn more.
Learn more about this location Learn about capital construction projects at this locationAccessibility Details
The New York Public Library strives to ensure that everyone has access to the full range of information, services, and programs that are offered at the Library. Learn more.
All public service units of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building are wheelchair accessible. A ramp entrance to the building is located at 42nd Street, and a street-level accessible entrance is available at 40th Street. All levels of the building are accessible by an elevator at the north end of the building.
If you require an additional accommodation on site, please speak to a staff member. For more information or for an accommodation, please email accessibility@nypl.org. To learn more about the accessibility of NYPL websites and mobile applications, see our Web & Mobile Accessibility Policy.
Please Note:
- As part of the Library's Midtown Renovation, we are in the process of upgrading, renovating, and adding more public space to the Schwarzman Building to prepare this historic library for future research, exhibitions, and programs. Currently, we are working on upgrades to the building’s cooling tower and HVAC system, as well as improvements to building circulation and flow with the addition of a new elevator and staircase. We remain focused on limiting the impact of this work on public service, but we do ask for patience and understanding in instances of noise or any other disruption during your visit.
- Due to new Library policy, e-bikes, e-scooters, and electronic transportation devices are not permitted inside any NYPL location. This does not apply to mobility aids.