7 of the world’s most beautiful libraries

How cool can libraries be in an era of iPads and Kindles?

More than you think, if you know where to go.

1. Central Library: Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Imposing.

The Central Library in Seattle is sleek, modern and sophisticated and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. Yes, actual tours.

In its first year, more than two million tourists visited the library, which was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus.

The library was voted onto the American Institute of Architects 150 favorite structures in the United States. Nevertheless it has received mixed reviews over the years.

Whatever the verdict, the building is an impressive work of art: shiny, abstract and unusual.

The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events throughout the year.

The library offers free self-guided cell phone tours, along with group tours.

Where to find it: 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104 ; +1 206 386 4636.

2. Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland

Trinity College Library, the largest in Ireland, dates back to 1592.

Old, yes. Boring, no.

The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I.

Not only is the exterior impressive, it boasts the largest single chamber library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books.

One of the most famous manuscripts is “The Book of Kells: Turning Darkness into Light,” which contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum. The manuscript itself attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year.

The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the oak harp is the model for the emblem of Ireland.

Queen Elizabeth II visited the library last year, the first monarch to do so since 1911.

Where to find it: College Green, Dublin 2; +353 1 8961127.

3. Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, U.S.

Geisel Library is named after Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel -- AKA Dr Seuss.

Throwing some literature into “Inception.”

Named after Theodor Geisel, widely known as Dr. Seuss, San Diego’s Geisel Library is one of the most modern library buildings in the world.

At first glance, it looks like a spaceship.

Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels.

Main Library, Salt Lake City —

Try keeping your eyes on the page in these stunning temples to the written word. In honor of National Library Week, peek inside 11 U.S. libraries that are well worth a visit. Designed by Moshe Safdie, Salt Lake City's Main Library opened in 2003. A six-story curving wall hugs a central daylight-filled plaza, and a rooftop garden offers sweeping views of Utah's Salt Lake Valley.

Morgan Library, New York —

Now the Morgan Library and Museum, this was once the private library of financier Pierpont Morgan. Built between 1902 and 1906, the library features towering triple tiers of bookcases made of bronze and inlaid Circassian walnut. J.P. Morgan Jr. gave his father's library to the public in 1924. Admission is $18 for adults.

San Diego Central Library —

Designed by Rob Wellington Quigley, the $185 million San Diego Central Library opened in 2013. The library has a three-story domed reading room and a 350-seat auditorium.

Central Library, Seattle —

Seattle's $166 million Central Library opened in 2004. Designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Ramus, the building combines 9,994 pieces of exterior glass with 4,644 tons of steel.

Minneapolis Central Library —

The current home of the Minneapolis Central Library opened in 2006. In addition to books, the Cesar Pelli-designed structure includes an art gallery, a green roof, four fireplaces and a piano room.

New York Public Library, Schwarzman Building —

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library is a Beaux Arts landmark on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Designed by the firm Carrère & Hastings, the library opened to the public in 1911. It houses about 15 million items.

Beinecke Library, New Haven, Connecticut —

The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University is one of the world's largest buildings devoted exclusively to rare books. Completed in 1963, the building was designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft of the firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Inside, a glass tower of books rises through the library's center. The building will be closed for an infrastructure renovation starting in May, but its remarkable architecture won't change.

Library of Congress, Washington —

The current Library of Congress building opened its doors to the public on November 1, 1897. It is the United States' oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world. The library houses more than 36 million books and printed materials, as well as more than 121 million maps, photographs and other items. Free guided tours are offered several times each day.

Boston Public Library —

Half-domes bookend either end of an impressive barrel-arched ceiling in Boston Public Library's Bates Hall. The 1895 library on Copley Square was designed by Charles Follen McKim.

Iowa State Law Library, Des Moines —

Brimming with legal volumes, the Iowa State Law Library on the second floor of the Capitol building in Des Moines is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The library's tile floor and stained glass ceiling date to 1884.

Providence Athenaeum, Rhode Island —

Founded in 1836, the Providence Athenaeum in Rhode Island is an independent, member-supported library. The Greek Revival building that houses the library was designed by Philadelphia architect William Strickland and completed in 1838. The Athenaeum is open to the public.

11 of America's most spectacular libraries

Prev Next

If you need a hint of which film, think of Leonardo DeCaprio, dreams and a lot of snow.

Yes, the snow fortress in the film “Inception” looks a lot like the Geisel Library.

But of course, it’s not just the exterior that’s interesting. The library also hosts “Dinner in the Library,” which invites readers for cocktails, a silent auction and also a special speech from prominent authors.

Where to find it: 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; +1 858 534 2230.

4. TU Delft Library: The Netherlands

The roof of the TU Delft Library is covered in grass.

Where the Teletubbies may come to roam and read.

The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. But it will only take a glance to be mesmerized, as it is a sight to remember.

The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can’t really see the actual library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill.

A huge cone pierces the grass roof, which symbolizes technology. This “gives (more) shape to the introverted reading rooms,” according to the library.

The roof covers 5,500 square meters. Construction of the roof posed several difficulties in terms of maintenance and leakage, but it has become one of the most striking and greenest (both literally and environmentally) structures in the area.

Quick tip before you lie down on the grass: beware the sprinklers.

Where to find it: Prometheusplein 1, 2628, ZC Delft, The Netherlands; +31 15 27 85678.

5. Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Alexandria, Egypt

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a modern version of the famous ancient library that burned down in the 4th century.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the revival of the ancient Royal Library of Alexandria, which was the largest and most influential library in the Greek world. It was built by Alexander the Great some 2,300 years ago.

The new library was reborn in 2002 on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea after 10 years of designing, planning and construction.

The library was designed by SNOHETTA, winners of an international competition organized by the International Union of Architects, UNESCO and the government of Egypt.

Along with the standard libraries with books, there are four museums covering antiquities, manuscripts and science, and also 15 permanent exhibitions, including “Impressions of Alexandria,” “Arabic Calligraphy” and “The History of Printing.”

With its circular yet tilting form, the library looks like a modern painting. Various carvings and alphabetic inscriptions decorate the flatter side of the building, which the designers explain is “a careful display of the library’s basic proviso: language.”

Where to find it: El Shatby, Al-Iskandariyya, Egypt; +20 3 483 9999.

MORE: Libraries are dying? Think again

6. Stuttgart City Library: Stuttgart, Germany

Stuttgart City Library is contained within a white cube.

Try not to get your fingerprints on the white walls.

The Stuttgart City Library is controversial. Some say it’s innovative, while others say it doesn’t match its environment.

Nevertheless, the library is one of the most interesting buildings in the area – along with the Porsche Museum nearby.

Designed by Korean-born, Germany-based architect Yi Eun-young, the design of the cubic facility was influenced by the ancient Pantheon in Rome. It features a linear-shaped “heart,” which serves as a multi-story meeting space that draws natural sunlight through the roof.

The space throws various events, including book signings, readings and exhibitions.

The white and silver library may not fit perfectly with the green trees and red-roofed houses around the city, but it does stand out.

Where to find it: Mailaender Platz 1, 70173, Stuttgart, Germany; +49 711 216 91100.

7. Bishan Public Library, Singapore

Bishan Library is designed to resemble a tree house.

Your modernized tree house.

Located in the heart of Bishan, the award-winning Bishan Community Library spans 4,000 square meters.

Simple and sophisticated, it was designed to look like a tree house.

The colorful pods that stick out of one side of the building represent books protruding from a bookshelf. Inside the library, these pods offer private spaces for reading. Not to mention a perfect place to hold seminars, readings and workshops.

Its ceiling-high glass windows also make it fun to watch people walking and reading from inside the building.

Where to find it: 5 Bishan Place, #01-01, Singapore 579841; +65 6332 3255.

Editor’s note: This article was previously published in 2013. It was reformatted, updated and republished in 2017.