Lenox Library, Private library at Fifth Avenue, United States
Lenox Library was a private collection on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan that housed rare books, manuscripts, and historical documents. The collection included one of the first Gutenberg Bibles brought to the Americas.
Architect Richard Morris Hunt designed the building in 1877 as both library and art gallery, funded by philanthropist James Lenox. After his death, it merged with the Astor Library and Tilden Foundation in 1895 to become the New York Public Library.
The library served as a gathering place for scholars and specialized readers who gained entry through a membership system. It attracted researchers drawn to its collections of rare books and original manuscripts.
The original building no longer stands, having been demolished in 1911. The site is now part of the Frick Collection complex and can be explored as part of a visit to that art museum.
The library's valuable collections were not lost but became the foundation of the New York Public Library system. The building itself was demolished in 1911 to make room for the Frick Mansion, which later became the Frick Collection.
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