This NYC library was just ranked the most beautiful in all of America

The most beautiful library in America, according to Time Out, is right in the heart of Manhattan. The New York Public Library’s main branch, officially known as the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, is a gorgeous gem fully deserving of the title.

The grand marble entrance on Fifth Avenue is a stunner that only hints at the beauty inside. With its stately lions (Patience and Fortitude) guarding the steps, the library looms as a temple of knowledge. Inside, mesmerizing architecture and finishings can be found around every corner, celebrating the art, history and literature within.

The NYPL system was founded in 1895, but its main branch opened in 1911 after nearly a decade of construction. The Beaux-Arts masterpiece was designed by the firm Carrère and Hastings and built at a price of $9 million. Steep at the time, but one look at the murals and chandeliers inside the soaring Rose Main Reading Room and you’ll agree it was money well spent.

Today, the library is a hub of culture and learning, housing over 56 million items, from classic novels and DVDs to rare manuscripts and modern e-books. Everyone from scholars and writers to solitude-seekers and curious tourists can enjoy this treasure.

And while the New York Public Library tops Time Out’s list, it’s in excellent company. Just a few blocks away is number two in the ranking: The Morgan Library & Museum. This building began as financier J.P. Morgan’s private book collection before becoming a public institution in 1924.

Coming in third is the Boston Atheneum, one of the oldest independent libraries in the country. Its books share space with striking red leather chairs, marble busts and sweeping views of the Boston Common, an inspirational retreat that's open to all.

These libraries remind us that books are treasures, deserving of beautiful spaces to house them. 

Most beautiful libraries in America

1. New York Public Library in New York
2. The Morgan Library & Museum in New York
3. Boston Athenaeum in Boston, Massachusetts 
4. George Peabody Library in Baltimore, Maryland
5. Iowa Law Library in Des Moines, Iowa
6. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library in New Haven, Connecticut
7. A.D. White Library in Ithaca, New York
8. University of Michigan Law Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan
9. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
10. Geisel Library in La Jolla, California
11. Armstrong Browning Library in Waco, Texas