Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
New York, NY 10018
917-275-6975
Directions
Fully Accessible
Open today
1 PM–5 PM
Regular Hours
Day Hours
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
Division hours may vary.
2023 Holiday Closings

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.

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.

New! LIVE from NYPL: Fall Season

Text graphic with maroon and gold text that reads: LIVE from NYPL, Fall Season.

The Library's premier cultural series brings you free events, conversations, and performances featuring prominent writers, artists, and thinkers. Learn more.

Just Dropped! Special-Edition Hip-Hop Library Card

Hip-hop library card on a yellow background. The front of the card shows grafitti art reading "Wild Style," and the back side shows a teal cassette tape.

Unlock the power of the Library with a new, special-edition library card commemorating 50 years of hip-hop! The card features imagery from the soundtrack cassette of the iconic 1983 film Wild Style, directed by Charlie Ahearn, widely considered to be the first film dedicated to hip-hop. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture's Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division holds the original cassette in its collections alongside key archives related to the birth and legacy of hip-hop. The cassette book, which was produced by Kaz Kuzui, includes photos of soundtrack producer Fab 5 Freddy and the “Wild Style” art that was created by artists Zephyr, Revolt, and Sharp.

Apply online or at a branch, and pick up your hip-hop library card from an NYPL location near you!

Start Your Journey at the Librarys Visitor Center

Interior of the Visitor Center at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, featuring tables of digital displays and touchable/tactile objects, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and panels of carved wood lining the walls.

Discover the Library’s legacy and collections through interactive exhibits and more in this new public space. Learn more.

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

  • Plan Your Visit

    Make the most of your visit to the Library’s flagship Fifth Avenue location!

    Exterior of the Stephen A. Schwarzman building flanked by greenery and featuring Fortitude the Lion in the foreground.

  • New! Free Audio Tour & Digital Guide

    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.

    Hand holding a phone displaying the audio tour with the white marble Astor Hall in the background.

  • Rose Main Reading Room: Open for Research & Quiet Study

    We are pleased to welcome patrons back to the Library’s 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 one of our daily guided tours.

    The Rose Main Reading Room on a sunny day with a walkway dividing the room into two sections populated with long desks, chandeliers, domed windows, and a cloud-filled mural mounted on an ornate ceiling.

  • Online Research Assistance

    Research librarians and curators are available to answer research-specific questions via email and online research consultations.

    Photo of a stack of historic documents in the foreground with a researcher in the background

  • Access to Articles & Databases

    Discover the many online databases you can access through the Library.

    Photograph of researchers in the Rose Main Reading Room

Featured at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

  • 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.

    Laptop and stack of books in the Rose Main Reading Room

  • 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.

    Interior photo of the new NYPL Shop, featuring shoppers looking at various shelves filled with merchandise.

  • From Our Blog

    Check out blogs from the expert librarians and staff at the Schwarzman Building.

    Photograph of a Library patron working at a laptop.

  • Meet the Library’s Lions

    Standing guard since 1911, the Library’s marble lions acquired their nicknames, Patience and Fortitude, in the 1930s.

    Close-up of Fortitude the Lion outside the Schwarzman Building.

Current Exhibitions

About the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

Interior view of 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 location