Inside The New York Public Library's Annual Library Lions Gala, The Literary World's Chicest Soirée

The New York Public Library's annual Library Lions Gala is without a doubt the city's most stunning scene...

Following a lively cocktail hour in Astor Hall, a mix of over 450 society staples, literary masters and political figures dressed in their black tie best ascended the library's staircase to The Rose Main Reading Room, the grand academic space transformed into a verdant garden in honor of the occasion.

Each year, the Library Lions Gala raises critical funds to support the Library’s 92 city-wide locations, critical educational programming, and world-renowned research collections. 

Curious to see inside the high society affair?

[Photos courtesy New York Public Library]