Patience and Fortitude Taking a Break

Those literary lions Patience and Fortitude are currently obscured from view by two large paneled enclosures around their perches in front of the New York Public Library. They’re taking a break to receive a thorough cleaning and restoration.

Guarding the New York Public Library, as the lions have done for more than 100 years, takes its toll. Last cleaned in 2011, the lions were ready for another treatment. Caring for them is a painstaking job but one NYPL takes seriously. As Iris Weinshall, Chief Operating Officer at NYPL, recently told amNY: “We love the lions here at the library. They really are our mascots. But they are out in the cold and the rain and the snow…every seven or eight years, they need to go to the spa.” 

So, if you pass by and don't see the lions, don’t despair - they’ll be visible again before the end of the year. In the meantime, take a look at the graphics on the enclosures placed around their perches. They explain the project, offer some interesting historical tidbits, and include some great photos of the lions over the years.

We look forward to the lions’ return, and salute NYPL for protecting these civic treasures.