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- I toured the private library of J.P. Morgan, one of the richest men of the Gilded Age. It felt like going back in time. (businessinsider.com)
Fans of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” can get their fix of the era at the Morgan Library & Museum. The museum, founded by financier J.P. Morgan’s son in 1924, houses Morgan’s impressive collection of art, books, and historical artifacts.
Located in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood, the museum comprises three buildings: the original Pierpont Morgan Library (1906), the Annex (1928), and Morgan House (J.P. Morgan Jr.’s former brownstone). A 2006 addition connects the buildings with a modern, light-filled lobby.
Stepping into the library is like stepping back in time. The original structure, designed to house Morgan’s rapidly expanding collection, remains largely untouched.
Visitors can explore Morgan’s private study, complete with a 16th-century Italian ceiling, silk damask walls, and even the financier’s desk. A steel-lined vault still safeguards some of the collection’s rarest books.
The library itself is a book lover’s paradise, with three stories of shelves filled with rare books and manuscripts, including the 9th-century Lindau Gospels and the Stavelot Triptych. The museum also features rotating exhibits; currently, an exhibit dedicated to Jane Austen is on display.
Beyond the library, the museum boasts an impressive art gallery with memorabilia from figures like Edgar Allan Poe and Leonardo da Vinci. The librarian’s office, with its Renaissance-style murals, is another highlight. The museum’s history also offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of Belle da Costa Greene, the library’s first librarian, who concealed her Black heritage to avoid racial prejudice.
A visit to the Morgan Library & Museum is a must for anyone interested in the Gilded Age, offering a captivating look into the life and legacy of one of its most prominent figures.