Newberry Library
4.4(209)google
4.5(98)yelp
LiteratureEducationalIndoor
Overview
Established in 1887, the Newberry Library is a world-class, independent research library housed inside a magnificent, Romanesque Revival historic granite building facing Washington Square Park. Free and fully open to the public, this intellectual sanctuary preserves an extraordinary collection of rare books, maps, and manuscripts spanning over six centuries, with unparalleled strengths in the history of the Americas, genealogy, and the Renaissance. Visitors can explore beautifully curated historical gallery exhibitions, admire the grand marble grand staircase, or study within silent, elegant wood-paneled reading rooms imbued with timeless scholarly heritage.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeAccessible year-round, with weekday mornings or afternoons being best. As a world-renowned independent research library, its first-floor galleries feature rare manuscripts, historical maps, and incunabula. The building is quiet, and the grand staircase leading to the reading rooms is a prominent photo spot.
Getting ThereLocated on the Near North Side, facing Washington Square Park. Take the 'L' Red Line to the Chicago station, walk north for 1 block to W Walton St, and turn left. The monumental Romanesque limestone library building is a 3-minute walk away.
Travel Tips
- While 1楼 exhibits are free, upper-floor research reading rooms strictly ban backpacks, laptop sleeves, coats, and opaque bags. You must store these items in the complimentary 1st-floor lockers; only bare laptops, clear bags, and pencils are permitted upstairs.
- The library sits across from Washington Square Park. It has no private lot, and metered street slots carry strict 2-hour maximums. Use public transit and plan a 5-minute downstream walk to the Magnificent Mile and Historic Water Tower afterward.
Photo Tips
Photo Spots
- The grand marble staircase on the 2nd floor is a premier photo spot. Crucially, ink pens, gel pens, and markers are banned throughout the building to protect rare books; only wooden pencils are allowed, and staged portrait modeling is forbidden.
Reviews
Positive
- This late 19th-century research library exudes grand Romanesque charm, and its iconic central lobby and marble staircase are visually stunning.
- The best part is that it is completely free to enter, hosting rare manuscript exhibitions year-round in an uncommercialized, peaceful academic aura.
- Signage inside is clear and precise; the library staff are highly professional and welcoming, providing patient assistance to readers and tourists.
- The location near Washington Square Park is stellar, backed by excellent transit links; the interior features modern accessible lifts and pristine restrooms.
Heads up
- As a non-circulating research library, the main reading rooms and stacks enforce strict security, limiting casual tourists to public galleries.
- The public exhibition space is modest, and the permanent displays are limited, making it feel a bit dry for those seeking general entertainment.
- During weekday lunch hours or exam seasons, student density in public seating zones surges, making it tough to find a vacant bench or spot.
- Free parking is nonexistent downtown; it lacks a dedicated lot, and extortionate commercial garage rates make driving highly inconvenient.