Take a Tour of the New York Public Library's Vacant Rose Room

In May 2014, the New York Public Library's majestic Rose Main Reading Room lost one of its large ceiling rosettes. After the foot-wide chunk of plaster fell to the floor, officials knew it was time to overhaul the aging space. The library closed the entire room for an extensive $12.9 million renovation, which included girding the rosettes with steel cables, dealing with asbestos in the attic, and restoring the mural in the nearby catalog room.

Luckily for bibliophiles, the NYPL has announced that the Rose Room will re-open by late fall 2016 — several months ahead of the projected schedule. Until then, here's a look at what the vacant hall looks like without rows of library patrons burying their heads in books.