An Introduction to the Morgan Library & Museum

The Morgan Library & Museum is a lot of different things to a lot of different people. It’s a museum, a research space, an event venue, an educational facility, a library. It’s a place for deep research and contemplation, and also a place to grab a bite for lunch.
The Morgan Library & Museum began as the personal library of financier, collector, and cultural benefactor Pierpont Morgan. As early as 1890 Morgan and his librarian Belle Da Costa Greene had begun to assemble a collection of illuminated, literary, and historical manuscripts, early printed books, and old master drawings and prints. In 1924, eleven years after Pierpont Morgan's death, his son, J. P. Morgan, Jr., known as Jack, realized that his father’s library had become too important to remain in private hands. In what constituted one of the most momentous cultural gifts in U.S. history, he fulfilled his father's dream of making the library and its treasures available to scholars and the public alike by transforming it into a public institution.
In this video, learn more about the library’s history and its role as a modern day cultural and historical institution.

[@dalewun]

Finally visited today, and was great to see an amazing campus filled with great exhibits and people. The Women of Mesopotamia was quite a rare gathering of ancient artifacts.

[@CarolCordovaWillhoite]

A wonderful insight after reading the book The Personal Librarian about Belle da Costa Greene.

[@Justme48813]

I wish one day I could visit this place, and stay for a lifetime as a research member or any kind of worker there.

[@musicartlover963]

Not one mention of the woman who help created this library. Her name is Belle Da Costa Greene

[@anjie5423]

Just read “The Personal Librarian!”

[@musicartlover963]

@@anjie5423 what did ya think? I read almost half of it b4 I said .....im done.....it wasnt as good as I thought ....it was blah to me

[@abovemadness]

So what!

[@dinoface4]

We don't care what hand people write with, why should we care about what someone identifies as?

[@1fayo]

The architectural work is amazing, l will definitely visit for the arts and architectural work

[@margaretgaby4506]

Wow it's a lot emptier during Covid. My Dermatologist is next door and so I stopped by. The art and library are fantastic! Smaller but Better than the met. There's book-binding collection as well.

[@musicartlover963]

I sure would love 2 visit that place

[@shelleyharris165]

So amazing 🙏 and beautiful work and creativity 🎼🌍🙌☮️🌎✝️🤲🤘🗝️🔔🌊♈💪

[@julyannaraine7696]

Would be nice to spend quarantine or be trapped here ....

[@gregmcevoy1]

Beautiful.

[@granddwizard8689]

I love it!

[@lisev415]

Cant wait!

[@gloriagoodwin7036]

What are closest hotels for people wanting to visit and stay in NY a weekend?

[@smartypants4571]

Expect to pay 3 to 5 hundred per night ; stay in NJ at a motel for 65 dollars !

[@d.l.l.6578]

Please do not rush the pictures. You don’t need to hurry.

[@Methuselah969V]

How many people are here because of Michael Saylor ?

[@neecywatson8250]

Where is it located?

[@CMaiko.]

It’s on Madison avenue in New York City

[@brendagiguere9488]

I thought it kind of remiss of them not to mention it in the video! But it looks wonderful.

[@pianoredux7516]

"We are finding ways of illuminating" sayeth director Colin Bailey ??? Then why are their exhibits so literally under-illuminated? Make sure you bring a pith helmet with an attached high beam headlight if you want to be able to actually see anything exhibited at the Morgan unless you prefer the equivalent of a candlelight dinner to look at original manuscripts.

[@orglancs]

The light levels may well be low to protect some of the exhibits. Anything on paper - books, prints, drawings, is going to be easily damaged by strong light.

[@pianoredux7516]

@orglancs That's the Morgan's excuse. Yes it is a valid consideration but should not be carried to such extremes. Did you see the exhibition? It was preposterously under-illuminated. And if you attempted to turn on a penlight to see, a museum guard admonished you to turn it off.

[@orglancs]

@@pianoredux7516 No, I didn't see the exhibition. It would have been rather an expensive trip, all the way from Preston, Lancs, UK, just to see an exhibition.

[@michellemarie1197]

Soooooo pretty