New York Public Library

This main branch, officially called the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, attracts plenty of book lovers, history junkies and architecture aficionados. Most people swing by the Bryant Park landmark to say hello to Patience and Fortitude (the famous stone lions guarding the entrance) and to admire the lovely Beaux-Art design.

If you're in the mood to read, you'll find an exhaustive collection of maps, in addition are also special collections of English and American Literature, English Romanticism, and rare books. This library is also the site of several lecture programs and a newly minted children's section.

To get there, take a subway train to 42nd Street to get to the library, or take the 7 train to Fifth Avenue. The different branches of the public library have different hours, but the main branch is open Monday through Saturday. Most days you can enter from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but on Tuesdays and Wednesday the branch is open until 9 p.m. Visit the official website for details.