New York Public Library

Main Entrance to the New York Public Library

Main Entrance NY Public Library by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

On Thursday, I decided to spend my lunch over at the New York Public Library located on 5th Avenue between 40th and 42nd Street.  Most pictures of the library feature the two marble lions that flank the main entrance but the real beauty of the library is inside. The picture of the main entrance above shows the beautiful Christmas Tree and candles celebrating the holiday season.  I photographed this from staircase to the second floor.

This photograph is of the staircase leading to the third floor and the McGraw Rotunda.  This is the staircase that Cary Bradshaw in the movie,  “Sex and the City”, took  to her wedding reception.

Staircase to the McGraw Rotunda

Staircase to the McGraw Rotunda by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

This is the ceiling in the McGraw Rotunda.

McGraw Rotunda Ceiling

McGraw Rotunda Ceiling by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

On the third floor is the largest main reading room, known as the Rose Reading Room.  It is almost the size of a football field and is one of the largest rooms in the nation without a dome, interior columns or steel reinforced walls.

Rose Reading Room

Rose Reading Room by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

This is one of the ceiling murals in the Rose Reading Room.  The murals were painted in 1998 and are based on the original murals that were present when the building opened to the public in 1911.

Rose Room Mural

Rose Room Mural by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

A look down one of the  stacks in the Rose Reading Room.

Looking Down the Stacks

Looking Down the Stacks by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

This is the librarian desk located just outside the Rose Reading Room.  The woodwork is gorgeous.

Librarian Desk

Librarian Desk by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

A chandelier over the staircase that leads to the third floor.

One of the chandeliers hanging over the library staircase.

Ceiling Light by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

This is one of several staircases that descend down from the third floor.  I love the arches and lighting.

Two Floors Down

Two Floors Down by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

I was looking down the staircase when this woman with a beautiful headscarf passed by.  I just loved the way she looked among the arches.

Through the Arch

Through the Arch by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

On the bottom floor is a line of old wooden phone booths.

The Phone Booths

The Phone Booths
The Phone Booths by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

I decided to leave the library through the side entrance on 42nd street.  I never stopped to look at the doors before but this time I did.  The detail is incredible and i just love the books in the upper corner and the snake entering in one side of a flower and coming out the other side.  Pretty cool!

Library Door

Library Door by Karen Johnson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://karenjohnsonphotography.wordpress.com.

Tags: 42nd Street, 5th Avenue, architecture, buildings, Carry Bradshaw, City, librarian, Lions, Manhattan, McGraw Rotunda, Midtown Manhattan, Murals, New York, New York City, New York Public Library, NYC, NYPL, photography, Rose Reading Room, Sex and the City, staircases

• December 17, 2011
• Architecture, New York City, Photography
• 8 comments