Seattle’s Iconic Central Library Celebrates 20 Years
release date: May 3, 2024
When The Seattle Public Library's Central Library opened its doors on May 23, 2004, more than 25,000 people lined up in the course of the day to experience Seattle's striking new public space for knowledge and learning. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, it was called "the most exciting new building it has been my honor to review" by the New York Times' late architectural critic Herbert Muschamp.
Twenty years later, Seattle's iconic glass-and-steel library is still visited by some 1,500 people a day to read and play in the Children's Center; take photos on the Level 4 Red Floor; explore its many collections; practice in a music room; take in an art exhibit; enjoy heartstopping views; visit the Seattle Room; attend an author event; get help from staff; and enjoy many other free services and programs. Once called the world's most "Instagrammable" library, the Central Library has earned its reputation as a beloved Seattle landmark not just for its design, but as a literary and artistic home for Seattle, and a neighborhood library branch for those who live and work downtown.
This May, the Library invites all of Seattle to celebrate the Central Library's past, present and future with a special author program, free public tours and a special display of Central Library photos and architectural models. We invite you to stop by anytime – the Central Library is open seven days a week – to discover something new about your 11-story, 363,000 foot downtown library.
TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMS AND DISPLAYS
- Learn about the Central Library from the photographer who documented it: On Wednesday, May 15 at 7 p.m., architectural photographer Lara Swimmer, who published a book on the Central Library's construction in 2005, will share her acclaimed new book "Reading Room: New and Reimagined Libraries of the American West." Largely through photographs, "Reading Room" documents a generation of regional libraries that are redefining public space in the 21st century. Of the Central Library, Swimmer writes that it "remains an iconic example of the modern library's ability to pivot and become a curator of information and community."
- Take a free public tour: From Thursday to Saturday, May 23 through May 25, docents with expertise in the Central Library will give six free one-hour public tours of the building. Tours will focus on everything from structure and design to history and functions of building. Find more information about the events and register on the Library's event calendar at spl.org/calendar.
- Visit a mini-exhibit about the Central Library: If you're curious about the Central Library''s architecture and history, visit a mini exhibit in the Level 3 Living Room space. It includes photographs of the Central Library's construction by architectural photographer Lara Swimmer from the Seattle Room's collections, as well as models of the current and past Central Library and other information.
MORE WAYS TO EXPLORE THE CENTRAL LIBRARY
The Library's 20th anniversary programs are only a starting point for exploring the Central Library's collections, programs, services, art and views. We've gathered 20 ideas in honor of the 20-year milestone: 20 Reasons to Check out the Central Library at 20 Years. Below are other helpful links to the library's history, self-guided tour information and more.
- Central Library history
- Art at the Central Library
- Self-guided tour for adults
- Self-guided tour for teens
- Self-guided tour for kids, families and school groups
ABOUT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY
Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas with Seattle-based LMN Architects, the Central Library is renowned for its many innovative features, including a Books Spiral that displays the entire nonfiction collection in a continuous, wheelchair-accessible run from Levels 6 through 9, a towering Level 3 living room along Fifth Avenue that reaches 50 feet in height, and a distinctive diamond-shaped exterior made of steel and nearly 10,000 panes of glass.
The Central Library's asymmetrical shape is the result of its use of overlapping platforms that reflect the varied uses of the library, including more "stable" use areas such as the Level 4 meeting rooms and the Levels 6-9 Book Spiral, as well as more fluid, movement-defined areas such as the Level 3 Living Room and the Level 5 Mixing Chamber. Koolhaas intentionally designed the space for form to follow function, creating a visual metaphor that captures the dynamic nature of libraries.
MORE INFORMATION
The Library believes that the power of knowledge improves people's lives. We promote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community.
Contact the Library's Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at www.spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information.
Image caption: Central Library interior construction looking north from the ninth floor, July 16, 2003. Photograph by Lara Swimmer. This is part of the current display of the architectural photographer's photographs on Level 3, the Living Room, of the Central Library.