6 things you didn’t know you could do at New York Public Library

New York Public Library is far from your average book lender. You’ll find a vast labyrinth of peculiarities and curious exhibitions housed in the walls of this beautiful Beaux-Arts Manhattan landmark – you just need to know where to find them. Here are six things you’ll find that you won’t hear about in the guidebooks.

See what the locals ate in 1850

Your kitchen drawer may be jam-packed withChinese take-out menus, but that’s nothing compared to the collection at New York’s most famous library. The NYPL has collected upwards of 25,000 restaurant menus, dating as far back as 1850. These menus are regularly used by chefs, novelists and researchers. Recently, a marine biologist even consulted the menus for a study of fish populations in the 1900s. You’ll need a library card to view the menus, but images of them are available on the Library’s Digital Collection website for those who want to see the items up close.

McGraw Rotunda at New York Public Library

McGraw Rotunda | Photo Courtesy of New York Public Library

Sit (or drop mayo) on knowledge

If you stop for lunch across the street at Bryant Park, you may very well be oblivious to what’s below your feet. Deep underneath the soil happens to be the library’s two-story book vault, which is connected to the main building by a tunnel. The vault is rarely open to the public, but that doesn’t make it any less cool.

See a piece of New York history

Before NYPL was the capital building of all things literature, it was a reservoir for the city’s main water supply. If you look hard enough, you can still see remnants of the reservoir’s foundation on the first floor of the library, which open to the public. If manage to find yourself in a closed-off area, take a stroll across the upper level bridge in the South Court and look down.

Discover a famous feline

Unless you’re lucky enough to be invited into the Berg Collection room, you might just miss Charles Dickens’ unique letter opener. It was made in memory of his cat Bob, and the great novelist had the cat’s paw stuffed and affixed to the handle. Keep an eye out because it’s pretty hard to see from the hallway—and maybe also keep an eye on it, as it’s a little creepy.

Winnie the Pooh and Friends New York Public Library

Winnie the Pooh and Friends
Photo Credit: vagueonthehow | Flickr Creative Commons

Reminisce with an old childhood friend

While this beloved exhibit is currently undergoing conservation, you’ll again be able to visit Winnie the Pooh and his friends Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga and Tigger at the library later this year. The original cuddly clique were once the real toys of Christopher Milne and they subsequently inspired his father, A.A Milne, to write the children’s classic. Unfortunately one member of the gang is missing: baby Roo. He was lost in an apple orchard during the 1930s. Since 1987, the five British icons have been in the good care of the NYPL. If you visit before the exhibit reopens, we suggest checking out the Mary Poppins exhibition instead.

Photo courtesy of vincent desjardins | Flickr Creative Commons

Feel some Elizabethan outrage

Long before 50 Shades of Grey, another racy book was the talk of the town: the so-called Wicked Bible. Originally printed in London in 1631, this otherwise standard version of the religious text caused great outrage by a simple printing error. The word ‘not’ was omitted from the commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” causing a wave of outrage. It’s kept in the library’s collection of rare books – but worth asking a librarian for a peek! Again you’ll need a library card for this, but images of them are available on the Library’s Digital Collection website.