One of the ‘experiences’ The Cloisters offered, was the opportunity of sleeping in one of the beds hanging from the roof around the garth (what we now know as the bar area).

With the building’s large archways designed to bring in extra natural light. Annie’s idea was to connect education with nature, this included at night. During the hours of rest, students and guests of the building would sleep in hanging beds and the only protection from the elements were large tarpaulins hung between each open arch which were pulled across the arches during bad weather.

During the colder months, the fireplaces were lit.

As you walk through the bar area today, you may be tempted to look for the old attachments where the beds hung. You won’t find them.

During the restoration of the building, after the army had left, these parts and those from each bed where removed and used to create this sign which can be seen on the wall at the entrance of the building.