Secrets in the Stacks: Explore the Treasures of the New York Public Library

Tucked away in the stacks and study rooms of The New York Public Library (NYPL) you’ll find much more than books. From a lock of Edgar Allan Poe’s hair and Charles Dickens’ cat-paw letter opener, to a collection of personal papers from Dr. Maya Angelou, the Library system is full of fascinating items.

In celebration of the brand new Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures—the first permanent exhibition to showcase highlights from the Library’s collections of more than 46 million items—Atlas Obscura and NYPL have created a bi-monthly series of online experiences where we’ll uncover rare literary artifacts and ephemera from the Library’s hidden corners that most people never get to see. Streaming live from some of NYPL’s most incredible locations, we’ll take you behind the scenes to explore obscure personal artifacts of famous authors, rarely seen maps, forgotten menus, and so much more!

In this experience, you'll get a sneak peek at the brand new exhibition before it opens to the public! Housed inside the iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, the exhibition features 250 of the most rare and unique items from the library's extensive research collections. Among the items on display are Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence, the stuffed animals that belonged to the real-life Christopher Robin and inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, and a page of Malcolm X’s unpublished autobiography chapter “The Negro,” as well as his briefcase. You'll be among the first to see them on the display!