How long has the museum been here?

In 1954, the Rosenbach Museum & Library opened to the public.

Who are the Rosenbachs?

The Rosenbach Museum & Library was founded by Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach and his brother and business partner Philip - preeminent dealers in rare books, manuscripts, and fine and decorative art.

Is this a public library?

The Rosenbach is a historic house museum and research library, for which you can make appointments with the librarian to view items from our collections.

Can I go through on my own?

The historic house and the collections are available by guided tour only, but we do have self guided exhibitions on the first and second floors, as well as Samuel Yellin iron work on display in the lobby.

Is photography allowed?

Only in the lobby area.

Do you have a café on site?

No, but we can direct you to many restaurant options in the area.

What does Sendak have to do with the Rosenbach?

Maurice Sendak’s relationship with the Rosenbach began in the 1950s with his exploration of the museum’s Herman Melville collection, one of his own great collecting interests. His fondness for the museum grew with the Rosenbach’s acquisition of the complete papers of modernist poet Marianne Moore in the late 1960s. Moore, a friend and one-time neighbor of Sendak, later bequeathed the contents of her Greenwich Village living room to the museum, where it has been reconstructed as a permanent exhibit. In the 1970s, Sendak began placing his original drawings and manuscripts with the Rosenbach, which now preserves some 7,000 drawings and other works representing over fifty books spanning the artist’s career. He also serves on the Board of Trustees.