We posted about the New York Public Library’s Digital Gallery a few months ago (and so did everyone else with access to a computer and a connection to the web) but actually viewing the collection was a chore since everyone was connecting to the library at the same time.

NYPL Digital Gallery is The New York Public Library’s new image database, developed to provide free and open online access to thousands of images from the original and rare holdings of The Library. Spanning a wide range of visual media, NYPL Digital Gallery offers digital images of drawings, illuminated manuscripts, maps, photographs, posters, prints, rare illustrated books, and more. Encompassing the subject strengths of the vast collections of the Research Libraries, these materials represent the applied sciences, fine and decorative arts, history, performing arts, and social sciences.

They have redesigned and made the site faster (with the use of new superchimps yes chimps!). The site also comes with a disclaimer.

Content on this site is drawn from a broad range of original historical resources, including materials that may contain offensive language or stereotypes. Such materials should be viewed in the context of the time and place in which they were created. All historical media are presented as specific, original artifacts, without further enhancement to their appearance or quality, as a record of the era in which they were produced.

And we present the best one’s we have found. All suitable for framing.

RELATED: Collection of Russian and Ukrainian posters, 1917-1921 and Harold M. Fleming papers, 1917-1971 .