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The New York Society Library

The New York Society Library
Photo: Jim.henderson, Public domain

The New York Society Library (NYSL) is the oldest cultural institution in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the New York Society as a subscription library. During the time when New York was the capital of the United States, it was the de facto Library of Congress.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • Built 1917
Address
53 East 79th Street
Hours
Closed · opens 9 am
Weekly hours
Mon9 am–5 pm
Tue9 am–8 pm
Wed9 am–8 pm
Thu9 am–8 pm
Fri9 am–5 pm
Sat11 am–5 pm
Sun11 am–5 pm

Place data from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Updated 29 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.