John M. Mossman Lock Collection

The John M. Mossman Lock Collection is a lock museum in Midtown Manhattan displaying around 370 locks, keys, and tools in illuminated glass cases. The items fill a single room located above a library and range from ancient Egyptian models to modern bank vault locks.

John M. Mossman started working with locks at age 12 and spent his life collecting examples of his craft. He donated the assembled collection to the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen in Manhattan in 1903.

The collection displays locks from Egypt, China, and America, showing how different cultures solved similar security challenges. You can observe how designs varied by region and era, revealing human ingenuity applied to everyday problems.

The museum is open on weekdays and housed in a multi-story building, so check ahead about accessing the room location. The space itself is compact and easy to navigate, allowing you to view the entire collection without rushing in about an hour.

Many locks in the collection were custom-made specifically for bank vaults and never intended for mass production. These handcrafted models provided security levels tailored to protect major financial assets during their era.