The 5 best art book stores in New York

Independently owned and one of New York’s no-nonsense art book stores, Mast Books has a wonderful selection of out-of-print and secondhand books, periodicals, and rare editions. You’ll find a great selection on fine art, photography, design, fashion and cinema, along with some literary fiction and poetry. They buy and sell, carry artists’ catalogues, and new editions too.

You could get lost in this sanctum of art books, intriguing to collectors and beginning art lovers alike. Ursus is an institution with an unmatched collection of art books from five centuries, including the most rare illustrated books, catalogues and prints. Check the website to see the breadth and depth of their inventory.

Operated by the Paula Cooper Gallery, known for its minimalist and conceptual art support, this store carries a well-curated selection of books on art and photography as well as literary fiction, history, and biography. They host readings, events and signing sessions, plus a weekly story hour for children on Wednesdays at 11 am.

This charming Noho store – NYC’s only independent bookstore devoted entirely to photography – is owned and operated by David Strettell, the former cultural director of Magnum Photos. Dashwood Books specializes in quality books on contemporary photography from the 1960s to the present, produced by outstanding publishers from Japan, Europe and the US. They also carry rare vintage books and numerous out-of-print and quality used titles.

Founded by the people that run D.A.P, Artbook @ MoMA PS1 is a real museum bookstore that sells cutting-edge contemporary art books and magazines as well as catalogues, DVDs and CDs that you can’t easily find elsewhere. There’s a second, international magazine store in the museum lobby that carries more than 300 of the world’s best magazines on art, fashion, design and culture.