New-York Historical Society Museum (New York City, New York)

 museum, society, Neoclassical (architecture), 1908_construction

3-story Neo-Classical museum & library originally completed in 1908 (the central portion). Designed by York & Sawyer, it is clad in grey granite. In 1937, new north and south pavilions and a book stack were added to the existing building, designed by Walker & Gillette. The additions, though designed by a different architect, were so skillfully integrated into the existing work that the structure appears to have been perfectly designed and constructed in one operation by one architect.

The New-York Historical Society is dedicated to presenting exhibitions and public programs, and fostering research that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804 as the city's first museum, its holdings cover four centuries of American history, and include one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, American art and other materials documenting the history of the United States as seen through the prism of New York City and State. Its research library contains more than three million books, pamphlets, maps, atlases, newspapers, broadsides, music sheets, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and architectural drawings.

The facade is divided into very severe end pavilions bounding and containing a colonnaded central section which, though treated with great discipline, is nobly ornamental. Facing Central Park West, a wide staircase with metal handrails leads up to three central entrance bays. The larger, main one has glass doors and features a molding with rosettes connecting by a pattern of interlocking discs, surmounted by a carved panel reading "NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY", which is flanked by a pair of console brackets carrying a triangular pediment with a crowning shell and half-shells at the ends. The smaller side entrances also have glass doors and simpler moldings. The ground floor is rusticated above a heavy water table, and capped by a band course, which features a Greek fret-motif across the central section. The center section also has two bays of recessed windows on either side of the three center entrance bays. There are no openings on the ground floor at the north and south pavilions, which project slightly from the center section.

The band course creates a ledge at the 2nd floor at the slightly recessed central portion. Resting on this ledge, and of great compositional importance, are the eight three-quarter engaged, fluted Ionic columns of the colonnade. These support a cornice which, apart from the handsome bronze grille-work of the largo side windows, is the only element of the building which may be said to be richly ornamented. Between each column is a large tripartite window, with a row of incised squares above and bands of alternating roundels and triglyphs below. Between the bases of the columns are very small and narrow vertical slit windows. Above the capitals of each column is a single roundel, surmounted by the modillioned and dentiled stone cornice, which is crowned by copper cresting. The north and south pavilions have a double-height opening with the windows fronted by geometric bronze grillework, and topped by a band of incised squares matching those in the center section. The cornice and cresting continue along the roof line of the pavilions, but without the modillins and dentils.

The north facade on 77th Street has five bays; the ground-floor center bay has another entrance with three glass doors - it is framed by a projecting surround with a dentiled cornice at the level of the band course wrapping around from the front facade. The entry is approached from sideways stairs descending from a small landing that is fronted by a black stone wall. Iron lanterns flank this bay. The other four have large, square openings divided into six lower panes and six shorter upper panes in black metal framing. At the upper floors there are six fluted Ionic piers across the slightly recessed center section; between each is a large opening with windows divided into three tiers of six panes. There are roundels above each pier, and the crested roof cornice continues from the north pavilion.

The south facade on 76th Street matches the north facade on the upper floors. Below, the five bays have metal grilles divided into three parts each. At the west end, there is a beige brick extension of the building. It has five floors, but is matched to the height of the 3-story main structure. At its ground floor it has a a service entrance with brown metal doors, and a loading dock with a roll-down metal gate. The next three floors have bands of windows with brick sills, the 3rd floor having upper transom panes. The 5th floor has four individual double-windows. The crested cornice continues onto this section, slightly recessed from the rest. Behind this is a very tall mechanical penthouse also clad in brick. The west elevation is clad in brick and has no opening except for one bay of single-windows near the front.

The main reading room served as the fictional location of the National Archives in the White Collar S01 S01 episode "Pilot" as Neal and Peter investigate a fictional Victory Bond. Stock footage of the New York Public Library Main Branch was used for the exterior.

www.nyhistory.org/


www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp8W6CkWMsY&ab_channel=THIR...