Exhibit Tour at The Morgan- Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy

Get an inside perspective on the first-ever retrospective exhibit dedicated to J.P. Morgan's personal librarian and the first director of The Morgan Library!

Exhibit Tour at The Morgan- Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy

Tour Highlights:

  • Uncover the fascinating life story of Belle de Costa Greene, from her roots in Washington, D.C. to her distinguished career at the helm of one of the world’s great research libraries in New York City
  • Learn how Greene and her family lived their lives passing as white in the age of Jim Crow
  • See some of the magnificent and rare items Greene curated for Morgan's illustrious collection such as Rembrandt etchings, old master drawings, and literary drafts by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Edgar Allan Poe

About this Event:

Untapped New York Members are invited to an exclusive, educator-led tour of The Morgan Library's newest exhibition, Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian’s Legacy, on view from October 25, 2024 through May 4, 2025. The exhibit traces Greene’s storied life, from her roots in a predominantly Black community in Washington, D.C., to her distinguished career at the helm of one of the world’s great research libraries. She was born Belle Marion Greener, but passed as white as Belle da Costa Greene, crossing the color line with her mother and siblings a few years after moving to New York City in the age of Jim Crow. She was widely recognized as an authority on illuminated manuscripts and deeply respected as a cultural heritage executive, making her one of the most prominent librarians in American history. Through extraordinary objects―from medieval manuscripts and rare printed books to archival records and portraits―the exhibition will demonstrate the confidence and expertise Greene brought to her roles as librarian, scholar, curator, and cultural executive and document her enduring legacy.

In 1924, Greene was appointed director of the Pierpont Morgan Library. The exhibition explores the growth of the Morgan as a public educational institution under her leadership, as well as Greene’s place among her contemporaries in librarianship, specifically Black librarians working in New York City.

How do I sign up for this event? 

If you are not a member yet, become one today at the Insider tier or higher to join in-person events like this!

If you are an Untapped New York Insider, Explorer, or Superfan, simply log in to your account using the round, pink icon in the bottom right corner of this screen. Once logged in, click on the “Book Here” button to book this event! Please note that registration opens at 12pm ET, 14 days before the event date.

How many tickets can I reserve? 

If you are an Insider level member ($20/month), you can reserve 1 ticket to this event. Explorer level members ($30/month) or Superfan ($100/month) can reserve 2 tickets. If you are a Support or Enthusiast level member but would like to attend, it’s easy to upgrade your account here

Can’t login to your Insiders account?

Please make sure you are trying to sign in with the correct email address. If you have more than one email address please try logging in with all of them, that will solve this issue 99% of the time. Check out our FAQ for videos and more help documents.

The event is sold out?

In-person Insider tours may have limited capacity and are booked on a first come, first served basis.

But don’t worry! Sometimes spots open up closer to the event date if there are cancellations. We also repeat our most popular events when possible so you will have another opportunity to join us. There are also multiple other members-only events weekly that you can join in!

What if I need to cancel?

If you cancel more than 48 hours ahead of the scheduled event, you will receive a 100%. When canceled less than 48 hours before the start of your tour, you will receive a gift card that can be used on any future events. Please be courteous to your fellow Insiders and let us know if you can no longer attend so we can offer your spot to another person.

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