There are few places in New York that have come so far in the last twenty years. It has metamorphosed into a beautifully landscaped, French-style square in the heart of Midtown. Free movies are shown in the summer, and choices abound for casual to upscale drinks and nibbles.

When this magnificent building was erected in 1911, it was the world's largest research library. Although its collection has largely been dispersed to other satellite locations, there are still hundreds of thousands of books, from contemporary to classic to rare manuscripts and out-of-print books that you can peruse in this stunning landmark setting. They also host a variety of regular lectures that focus on New York cultural history.