When was the last time you visited your public library? If it’s been more than a month, you should definitely consider paying it a visit. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, you could go on an adventure and find the coolest library in your area. From the stunning architecture of the Geisel Library in San Diego to the majestic lions of the New York Public Library, there’s sure to be one you can marvel at nearby.
Libraries are also more than just cool buildings — they’re a piece of history. Libraries, especially ones that are open to the public, are an incredibly important resource and often come with fascinating stories of their own. Read on to learn about six famous libraries and their tales.
New York Public Library Main Branch
The New York Public Library building, with its marble columns, majestic interior, and iconic lions, is perhaps one of the most recognizable libraries in the world. Although the famous building itself is no longer the circulating library, that one is just across the street, so if you want to check out a book, it’s just a short walk away!
A fun fact you might not know about the Main Branch is that its lions are actually named! Patience and Fortitude have stood in front of the building since it opened in 1911, over one hundred years ago. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia gave them those names during the Great Depression to inspire New Yorkers with those qualities.
Geisel Library
The Geisel Library, located on the campus of the University of California, San Diego, has a striking, futuristic design, meant to evoke a pair of hands holding up a stack of books. The exterior, a combination of concrete and glass, reflects the light of the sky, making it a gorgeous landmark on the campus.
The library itself is actually named after Theodor and Audrey Seuss Geisel —- Theodor is better known as the legendary children’s book author Dr. Seuss. A bronze statue of the author and one of his most famous characters, the Cat in the Hat, can be found in the gardens surrounding the library.
Boston Central Library
Boston Public Library is another venerable old public library. Though Boston’s library system has 25 branches, its Central Library is a particularly awe-inspiring one. It’s made up of two buildings connected by passageways and features an incredible barrel-vaulted hall, as well as a peaceful courtyard that plays host to concerts and other entertainment.
Incredibly, the Boston Public Library was the first in the US to lend books, as well as the first to have a children’s room. It’s estimated to have one of the largest collections of books in the country, including editions of Shakespeare’s first folio.
Kansas City Public Library
The Kansas City Public Library’s main branch is probably the most recognizable from the outside — it’s famous for its parking garage, which is decorated to have the appearance of a massive bookshelf, complete with specific editions of classic books like Lord of the Rings and A Tale of Two Cities.
Those book titles aren’t random, though. They were selected by residents of Kansas City and selected by the library’s board of trustees. Designed to reflect a wide variety of reading interests, the 22 titles range from philosophical classics to children’s books.
Seattle Central Library
Seattle’s Central Library, like many of the more modern libraries on this list, is an incredible edifice of glass, creating an interior that provides a gorgeous amount of natural light and a view of the city from almost any direction. The library itself has ten floors.
It’s also unique on the inside: The library features a Book Spiral that takes up the majority of its upper floors, where the shelves and walkways are constructed so that patrons can stroll up and down the stacks while slowly moving between floors, creating a seamless browsing experience and a compelling, book-filled maze.
Bienecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Yale University’s Bienecke Library is a little more than your quintessential college library: Although fairly unassuming from the outside, it houses one of the largest collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world, displayed in breathtakingly beautiful glass cases. In fact, it’s one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books and manuscripts.
The Bienecke collection contains an absolute treasure trove, from not one, but two original Gutenberg Bibles, to the Voynich manuscript and writings from Charles Dickens, Edith Wharton, Rachel Carson and Goethe.
Six libraries are just a tiny sampling of the incredibly cool selection out there. In the US alone, there are countless other libraries that look gorgeous and strange and cool, and have even more incredible treasures inside. Our personal honorable mentions list includes the Arabian Library in Scottsdale, Arizona; the Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library; the Iowa State Law Library; and the George Peabody Library at Johns Hopkins University.
Libraries are an amazing and underappreciated public resource. They’re also important to the fight against censorship. The battleground for book bans often takes place surrounding libraries, particularly their position as a free, accessible public resource available to all. So when you visit and check out materials at your local public library, you’re not just educating yourself — you’re ensuring that future generations preserve their right to them as well.
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