The New York Public Library’s Rose Room Is Ready to Reopen

With its oak tables, lofty ceilings, and sprawling walls of books, the Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library is a reader’s paradise. After a two-year renovation, Curbed NY reports, the library is preparing the historic space for its grand reopening on October 5.

The room has been closed to the public since one of its plaster rosettes broke from the ceiling in 2014. After seeing that the rosette would need to be replaced, the library decided to take the opportunity to revamp the entire area. Professionals from Tishman Construction, EverGreene Architectural Arts, and WJE Architects & Engineers were commissioned to modernize the space.

Visitors will need to look up to notice the biggest improvements: Each chandelier has been cleaned and their old light bulbs removed in favor of LEDs. All 900 rosettes adorning the 52-foot-tall ceiling have been reinforced, and after concluding that the mural had “sustained irreparable damage," it’s been replaced with a replica from EverGreene. The below photo provides a glimpse of the new look.

The Rose Room has welcomed generations of bookworms since the opening of the library’s General Research Division in 1911. For bibliophiles looking to see the space’s 21st century makeover in person, the New York Public Library will be offering daily tours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. following the October 5 reopening.

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