JP Morgan, a Wall Street banker during the Gilded Age, built a collection of art and rare books. Morgan's book collection has grown so large that it no longer fit into his residence. In 1903, he began building a library as an adjacent to his New York home at Madison Avenue. For an astronomical sum, Morgan created rooms in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The majestic, almost palatial chambers were to reflect the nature and importance of the collections stored there. Morgan's son turned the library into a public institution. The estate once owned by JP Morgan has become a museum bearing his name.
