Of all the iconic sites in New York City, the New York Public Library on 5th Ave is one of the coolest to plan a visit to. NYC can be expensive, especially when you start to stack up museums and Broadway shows, so finding the cool places to visit that are free is a big win, especially when you are visiting New York City with kids. I feel like every movie and show that takes place in NYC has a scene here or in front of it, so it’s worth seeing why the New York Public Library (NYPL) always works its way into films.
When you visit the New York Public Library, think of it more as a museum than a library. You’re not showing up to check out books, but to see things like the Bill of Rights or the Rose Main Reading Room. We’ve got the full scoop on visiting the NYPL, including how you can see the famous reading rooms. If you have any questions about visiting NYC and its best sightseeing, please leave a comment or send us a note. We love talking about New York and helping others have a great visit.
Highlights of Visiting the New York Public Library
The New York Public Library has such a wonderful collection of historic artifacts, both culturally and relating to the journey of the USA in its countryhood. When you visit the NYPL, the main attraction really is the Polonsky Exhibition which is on the first floor just after entering the building. This is the exhibit that includes the Bill of Rights, a Gutenberg Bible, Winnie the Pooh and much more.
When you enter the Polonsky Exhibition you might be really surprised what you’ll get to see. Here are my favorite things to see in the primary exhibition room:
- historic documents (Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, George Washington’s farewell address…)
- Winnie the Pooh and friends
- Famous works of art, including the portrait of Ben Franklin and an Audubon’s Birds of America
- a handwritten symphony by Mozart…
There are so many more fascinating and familiar items in this exhibit, but you get it that this is one of the reasons visiting the New York Public Library is so cool. If you continue explore the NYPL exhibits upstairs, you’ll see even more familiar artifacts and art. Portraits of George Washington and more fill the reading rooms and restricted library areas. You’ll be so impressed with everything housed here at the New York Public Library. If you have time, check out the rotating exhibitions too. Sometimes they are art, sometimes their artifacts. I really enjoyed the Art of the New Yorker exhibit when it was on display. And it’s all free, which is just such a bonus for a visit to New York City.
Tip: if you’re loving the history you find at the New York Public Library, be sure that you spend time exploring Lower Manhattan. Here you’ll find Federal Hall, Trinity Church and so much more!
Tips for Seeing the Famous NYPL Rose Main Reading Room
Remember when you visit that the New York Public Library on 5th Ave is an active library in addition to a museum. There are all kinds of places in the building that visitors cannot access. You must be a library member and there with a research purpose typically. The library stacks (like from Ghostbusters) are cool to look at, but you can’t go wandering through them re-enacting movie scenes. And it’s the same with famous Rose Reading Room… BUT YOU CAN VISIT IT!
There are two ways you can access the Rose Reading Room if you’re not a New York Public Library card holder. You can either sign up for an hour long tour of the Library, a 15 minute tour that just shows the Rose Reading Room, or you can visit on your own immediately after the New York Public Library opens at 10:00 am until 11:00 am, Monday through Saturday. With one of these options you can see the most famous room and, no doubt, you’ll understand why it’s featured in so many films and stories.
For the tours that include the Rose Main Reading Room and other restricted areas with narration from a guide, you can sign up for the free tours online when tickets are released on Sunday morning at 10:00 am EST. There are only two hour long tours each day and they’re limited to 20 people, so if this is important to you need to book the tickets online in advance. The short tour just featuring the Rose Main Reading Room is done three times a day and you need to sign up for it a half hour in advance down in the rotunda. The short tour happens Monday through Saturday at 11:20 am, 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm. Good luck securing your visit to this beautiful room.
Need to Know for Visiting the New York Public Library
You do have to go through security before you get to visit the New York Public Library. It’s not intense security, but they’ll check everyone to be sure visitors are safe and not malicious. You can bring cameras into the building, but it’s NOT a place to do an unapproved photo shoot, so keep that in mind when you visit. You’re welcome to photograph the exhibits without a flash, and you can get pictures of the different reading rooms and galleries, but the Rose Main Reading Room does have restrictions about what/where you can take pictures. ‘Tis best to follow the rules so you can enjoy your visit and get to see everything instead of being asked to put your camera or phone away or be asked to sleep.
NYPL Museum Store and Cafe
New York Public Library Store and Cafe: Yes! Just like other awesome museums, like the NYC MoMA or the Met, the NYPL has a really cool gift shop. I love museum stores both for finding cool books as well as unique decor or souvenirs. The museum store here is great for unique finds. And there is even a cafe here in the library store. You can grab coffee, pastries and simple sandwiches. It’s good for a low key snack, but the menu isn’t huge and it’s not what I would call a NYC dining experience. It’s nice to have available though.
Operating Info for the New York Public Library
Just in case you need to contact the New York Public Library on 5th Ave to get some more detailed information or you just want to browse a bit and see what you can glean from them before you plan your visit, here’s all the info you need to add this to your travel plans. This really is a great place to experience if you’re visiting NYC with kids, so make it happen!
- Hours of Operations: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday; 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Sundays
- Website: NYPL.org
- Phone number: 917-275-6975
- Physical address: 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
- Book your guided tour here: 1 hour guided tour
More Great New York City Activities to Plan For
Visiting New York City with kids is fun, especially if you don’t live in or near a big city. It can be overwhelming or awesome. Our kids love it, but then they have since they were tiny. Between visiting the Empire State Building, doing the Statue of Liberty and seeing Broadway shows, there are plenty of iconic things to do when you’re in NYC. We’ve picked some of our favorite, tried and true activities that you can easily add to your time in New York.
Here are our top ten things to do with kids in New York City (and they’re great for adults too):
- Visit Times Square at least once (it’s iconic and fun to people watch)
- Enjoy a Broadway show or two (our reviews are linked below)
- Check out MOMA – the Museum of Modern Art
- Ride the Subway – check this off with a ride to the Museum of Natural History or Lower Manhattan
- Do the Historic Sites of Lower Manhattan (Federal Hall, Trinity Church, Wall Street…)
- Visit the Museum of Natural History or New York Public Library
- Walk the Highline – really cool repurposed elevated trail tracks
- Visit the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock (ESB is better)
- Climb the crown of the Statue of Liberty and visit Ellis Island
- Check out a few movie filming locations: Central Park, Katz Delicatessen, Ghostbusters Fire Station, FRIENDS apartment…
There are lots more things to do, but these are things that are easy to add to any itinerary, are good year round, and they’re fun/interesting for any age, including adults.
Adding a Broadway Show to your NYC Trip
Just like how the Empire State Building is a New York City icon, so is the experience of going to a Broadway show. This is one of the more costly activities when you’re in NYC, but it’s also, I think, the most worthwhile. I love when we get to support the arts and I love it even more when it makes an impression on our kids. We’ve gotten to enjoy many Broadway shows with them over the years, so write about them often, including what to expect and what may or may not be appropriate with kids.
Here are our reviews of some of the shows we’ve seen as a family. Check ’em out!:
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway – the continuation of the Harry Potter story
- SIX on Broadway – the story of Henry VIII’s six wives
- Wicked – an absolute classic and always awesome
- The Lion King on Broadway – such a good show for every age
- Little Shop of Horrors – an unusual pick in a small theater, really fun
- The Great Gatsby on Broadway – new and really beautifully done
- Chicago – good for older kids or if they’ve already seen the movie
Of course there are lots more options for shows. If you want to play it by ear and not get tickets in advance, that’s your call. You can sometimes get great same day deals, but usually the seats aren’t great and you may not be able to get your whole party sitting together. We always get our tickets in advance through Broadway Direct (consistent, easy, mobile app…).
I hope this is helpful and encourages you to visit the New York Public Library and really take advantage of all the culture throughout New York City. It took me many trips to NYC before I started to enjoy it and now that we visit with the kids often and have more and more great experiences, I think it really it a special place to enjoy. If you have any questions about planning your time in New York or need more kid-friendly ideas, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
