“A room without books is like a body without a soul” – Cicero
Libraries have been part of our lives for as long as we can remember – some of us still hang out at libraries today. While there’s been a decline in publications in recent years, it’s heartening to know that libraries are still popping up all over the world and encouraging us to nourish our minds (and sometimes soul). Best of all, some libraries have become famous travel (and Instagram) spots thanks to their amazing architecture – both old and modern.
Some are more famous for their architecture than their collection of books. If you happen to be in these countries, do look out for some of these famous libraries, all open to the public:
South Korea: COEX Mall’s Starfield Library
Located in COEX Mall, the largest underground shopping centre in Asia, the 2-storey Starfield Library boasts over 50,000 titles. The star of the library are the three 13m tall giant bookshelves – but getting the books off the higher shelves will be a bit tricky, since they’re not real books (just hollow boxes with fake covers!). However, there are over 200 seats for you to park your bum to read your books, and you can also enjoy free cultural events and performances. Also, did we mention that there’s also a cake shop on the second floor?
☞ Operating hours: 10:00-22:00
☞ Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Korea: Haeinsa Temple Library
One of the most austere Instagram-worthy libraries in the world is in the Gayasan Mountains, Haeinsa Temple’s library houses the Tripitaka Koreana – books carved into 81,340 wooden blocks housed there since the 1300s. The building’s materials are designed to reduce humidity and stabilise temperatures, and animals (like birds and insects) avoid the complex although the reason for this is unknown. Visitors can stay at the temple, which has a unique programme where you can experience woodblock printing and Zen meditation.
☞ Operating hours: 8:30-18:00
☞ Location: Gayasan, Gyeongsangnam-do
China: Tiajin Binhai Library
Dubbed “The Eye of Binhai”, the bright white atrium of this beautifully-designed library is dominated by a huge, glowing spherical auditorium in the centre of the room. The continuous wave of curving, terraced shelves appears to be covered with books, but the books aren’t real – they’re just wallpapers! The curved shelves are meant to be seats and steps, making it one of the most pictures libraries for Instagram. At five storeys high, it has a capacity to fit over a million books but as of now, they’re placed in the library’s other rooms in which contain traditional bookshelves.
☞ Operating hours: 9:00-21:00
☞ Location: Binhai, Tianjin
China: Liyuan Library
Located in the village of Huairou at under a 2-hour drive from Beijing, this tiny library houses its collection of books within a frame comprising sticks of firewood. The wooden interior is segregated by steps to create distinct spaces, bookshelves and cozy seating nooks – there’s even a fireplace! Set within a lush natural landscape with a mountain in the backdrop, it feels more like you’re entering a spa with its cantilevered balcony, wood-and-stone materials, and bridge entrance. Using only natural light, it closes before dusk.
☞ Operating hours: 9:00-11:30, 13:00-16:30 (only weekends)
☞ Location: Huairou, Beijing
China: Library on the Quay, Tongling
This library is built on an abandoned quay by the riverside, converted from an industrial wharf. Spread over three storeys, the middle floor is where the heart is – the reading room with bookshelves butted against reading desks and a set of staircase that doubles as seating and shelving. There is the platform on top of the building boasting views of the the whole riverside, and sitting by the windows, you get the feeling that it’s more like a seaside cafe than a reading place.
☞ Operating hours: 9:00-5:00
☞ Location: Tongling, Anhui
France: Media-Third-Place Library
This library is not just there for absorbing information, it also serves as a place of creation where visitors can create their own work in the various spaces that include work areas, a music studio, and a broadcasting media room. The library also contains a media library, an auditorium and a cafe-restaurant that all run into one another – the building also contains three courtyards you can nap, gather or read in, with an expansive roof garden to complement the library’s holistic approach to creativity.
☞ Operating hours: 11:00-18:00 (varies)
☞ Location: Thionville , Moselle
Mexico: Biblioteca Vasconcelos
Situated in Mexico City, this massive “megalibrary” is spread across 38,000sq.m. Looking a lot like a giant warehouse, there are transparent walls, hive-like bookshelves, mismatched floors, and an intricate network of balconies and paths between replicating stacks where you can get lost in a world of books. The shelves are contrasted by several modern sculptures, including a gigantic whale skeleton. Vasconcelos actually consists of five libraries, each section developed by a different design team.
☞ Operating hours: 11:00-18:00 (varies)
☞ Location: Buenavista , Mexico City
Czech Republic: Baroque Library at Klementinum
Situated next to the Charles Bridge in the historical centre of Prague, the baroque library was part of the Jesuit university based in Klementinum. Opened in 1722, it houses over 20,000 volumes of mostly foreign theological literature, with much of its interior intact today. It has a unique collection of geographical and astronomical globes, created by the Jesuits. Above the library is the Meridian Hall which was used for measuring noontime – by using a string. The Klementinum also consists of an Astronomical Tower and a collection of churches and chapels.
☞ Operating hours: 10:00-18:00
☞ Location: Prague, Czech Republic
UK: Gladstone Library
The only residential library in the UK, Gladstone Library which is located in a small Welsh village, contains over 150,000 items in its collection. The best part about being here and reading on the plush chairs or dining at the cafe, is actually spending the night. There are 26 boutique bedrooms on site (it’s a charming B&B), and guests can bring a book to their rooms. Definitely one of the most unique libraries out there, as you can also Instagram the rooms. Tours of the historic reading room are free, in keeping with William Gladstone’s legacy of engagement with social, moral, and spiritual questions.
☞ Operating hours: 9:00-17:00
☞ Location: Flintshire, Wales
USA: Boston Athenæum
Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenæum is one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States. It is also one of a number of membership libraries, for which patrons pay a yearly subscription fee to use the library’s services. There’s an entrance fee for the the public, making it one of a few Instagram-worthy membership libraries. The Athenæum resembles a large stately home than a library, and contains a large rare books collection of over 100,000 volumes, an art collection, and one of the world’s most important collections on the American Civil War.
☞ Operating hours: 10:00-16:00 (public)
☞ Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Related: Check out some gorgeous university libraries around the world
