Babies Hospital was founded in 1887 by five women “to provide medical and surgical aid and nursing for sick babies.” It soon became one of the nation’s pre-eminent children’s hospitals. L. Emmett Holt, Herbert Wilcox, Sr. and Rustin McIntosh were among the medical directors of the hospital in the 20th century.

Babies moved to the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center at W. 168th Street in 1929. It went through several name changes before becoming the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York in 2003.

The hospital became a teaching affiliate of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) in 1900 and professional staff at the hospital also hold an appointment in the P&S Department of Pediatrics.