It's no secret that Manhattan is home to some of the world's best museums. People recognize references to the Met, MOMA, Whitney, and Guggenheim whether they have been there or not. And while each of those institution are gorgeous and certainly worthy of a visit, it's difficult to explore all when you are hard pressed for time--especially when a million other people have the exact same plan.
So let me introduce you to the lesser-known Morgan Library & Museum. Built in the early 1900s and located on Madison Avenue in Midtown, the Morgan was originally the personal library of John Pierpont Morgan, best known as J.P. Morgan. Mr. Morgan was American business tycoon who needs little introduction. It turns out, however, that he was also quite the collector. Indeed, Mr. Morgan managed to amass one of the largest collections of rare books, manuscripts, and drawings in the country.
And since beautiful art needs a beautiful home, Mr. Morgan hired renowned architect Charles Follen McKim to design a library that would later become a landmark. Each room contains three stories of books and ceilings so beautiful they are hard to look away from.
Seriously.
The Best Part: Admission is free on Fridays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.