Take a Tour of the Central Library
We look forward to your visit and offer several options for you to take a guided or self-guided tour of the Central Library.
Building Facts
- Central Library opened on May 23, 2004 and was designed by Rem Koolhaas (Office for Metropolitan Architecture, the Netherlands) and Joshua Prince-Ramus (LMN Architects, Seattle)
- It has 11 levels covering 363,000 square feet with nearly 10,000 windows
Level 1
4th Avenue Entrance/Auditorium/Children’s Center/Gallery/LEAP LAB
Level 1 is where you will find our World Languages and English Language Learning Collections. You can visit the Children's Center to find books, audiobooks and DVDs for kids or the LEAP Lab (Library Equal Access Program) to use accessible technology. Staff can help you get your library card.
- "The Fountain of Wisdom," on the fourth avenue plaza by local artist George Tsutakawa.
- Seattle textile artist Mandy Greer completed three works for the Faye G. Allen Children's Center based on three folk tale themes: "The Phoenix Fairy," "Babe the Ox" and "The Magic Grove."
- Artist Ann Hamilton created 556 lines of raised text in 11 languages on the maple floorboards, which spell out, backward, the first sentences from books written in those languages.
- “Northwest Screen” in the Gallery behind the auditorium was created by the husband and wife team of artists James H. FitzGerald and Margaret Tomkins.
Collections
- Children’s Collection
- Citizenship
- English Language Learning
- Peak Picks
- World Languages
Services
- Book Return
- Check-Out & Holds
- Courtesy Phones
- Library Cards
- Staff Help
Amenities
- Computers
- Print & Copy
- Restrooms
- Security
- Water Fountain
Level 3
Living Room/Teen Center
Level 3 is the Living Room where you will find our Fiction Collection organized by genre as well as DVDs. You can visit the Teen Center to find books for young adults or sit in the eating area to have a snack. Find our hidden underwater themed mural and post a #SPLselfie Staff can help you with reading suggestions.
Collections
- DVDs
- Fiction
- Graphic Novels
- Large Print
- New Books
- Teen Fiction
Services
- Book Return
- Check-Out
- Staff Help
Amenities
- Computers
- Eating Area
- Friendshop
- Print & Copy
- Restrooms
- Water Fountain
Level 4
Meeting Rooms/Red Floor
Level 4 is the Red Floor where you will find our meeting rooms that can be booked for your private events.
- There are 13 shades of red paint on walls, ceiling, floors and stairs with ‘Robert’s Rules of Order’ text on the walls.
- See a behind-the-scenes view of Tony Oursler’s video sculpture “Braincast”.
Amenities
- Restrooms for Meeting Rooms
- Water Fountain
Level 5
Mixing Chamber
Level 5 is the Mixing Chamber where you can use computers, print & copy or scan, fax & translate documents. Staff can help you with technology, social services and other questions.
- Digital artwork by George Legrady, “Making the Invisible Visible,” displays real-time information about items checked out
- Frank Okada artwork “The Guardian” on the black stairwell was created in honor of Frank’s brother, John Okada, a former librarian and author of “No-No Boy”.
Services
- ADA Computers & Accessible Technology
- Social Services
- Staff Help
Amenities
- Computers
- Print & Copy
- Scan, Fax & Translate
Level 6
Books Spiral
Level 6 is part of the Books Spiral where you will find our Magazines and Newspapers and Government Publications. Use the Microfiche reader to view the collection.
Collections
- Government Publications
- Magazines
- Newspapers
Amenities
- Computers
- Print & Copy
- Water Fouintain
Level 7
Books Spiral/Business & Nonprofit Center/Job Resource Center/Zine Room
Level 7 is part of the Books Spiral where you will find our Nonfiction Collection of books and DVDs. You can visit the Business & Nonprofit Center and Job Resource Center or book a Zine Room appointment for to view our Zine Collection. Find our hidden space-themed mural and post a #SPLselfie.
Collections
- Audiobooks
- Business
- Cookbooks
- Financial Newspapers
- Nonfiction
- Nonfiction Dvds
- Science
- Technology
Services
- Staff Help
Amenities
- Computers
- Print & Copy
- Restrooms
- Water Fountain
Level 8
Books Spiral/Gallery/Music Practice Rooms
Level 8 is part of the Books Spiral where you will find our Nonfiction Collection of books, music files and art files. You can visit the gallery to see an exhibit or book one of our Music Practice Rooms.
Collections
- Architecture
- Arts
- Music
- Nonfiction
- Poetry & Plays
- Sports
Services
- Staff Help
Amenities
- Computers
- Print & Copy
- Water Fountain
Level 9
Books Spiral/Map Room/Writers’ Room
Level 9 is part of the Books Spiral where you will find our Nonfiction Collection of books and directories. Visit the Map room to view our Map Collection, apply for a residency in the Writers’ Room or book a Genealogy appointment to research your ancestry.
- The collage “Bibliotopia” by Deborah F. Lawrence hangs in the Map Room. and features a quote by Jorge Luis Borges "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."
Collections
- Biography
- Genealogy
- History
- Maps
- Nonfiction
- Travel
Services
- Staff Help
Amenities
- Computers
- Print & Copy
- Water Fountain
Level 10
Highest Viewpoint/Reading Room/Seattle Room
Level 10 is where you will find our Seattle Room Collections of local culture and history. Book a Seattle Room appointment to view our unique collections or visit the Reading Room for a quiet place to read, work or study. Find the highest viewpoint to look down to the Living Room.
- Lynne Yamamoto created "Of Memory," a sculpture of antiquated card catalogs made of cast polyester fiberglass.
- Shiva II by Frank Okada is a large abstract work primarily using bold reds, blues and yellows.
Collections
- Local History
- Seattle Culture
Services
- Staff Help
Video Tours
Art at the Central Library Video
Architecture at the Central Library Video
Self-guided Tours
Audio tour
Listen to an audio tour of The Seattle Public Library's Central Library in downtown Seattle.
- Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 23 MB] [Play time: 25 min]
- Transcription (pdf)
View or print self-guided tours
View or print your own copy of self-guided tours at Central Library.
- Self-guided tour for adults
- Self-guided tour for teens
- Self-guided tour for kids, families and school groups
Cell phone tour
You can take a free, self-guided cell phone tour of the Central Library. You control the pace and the order as you move through the building. Look for cell phone tour stop signs posted throughout the building. Call 206-686-8564 and enter the stop number (1-20) followed by the # key on your telephone. Stops are listed on the back of the self-guided tour for adults.
Please do not use speakerphone in the Library. Standard cell phone company charges apply.
Self-guided Tours In Other Languages
View or print self-guided tours for adults.
Español - Visita auto guiada para adultos (Spanish) tiếng Việt - Chuyến Tham Quan Tự Túc dành cho người lớn (Vietnamese)简体中文 - 自行导览 (Simplified Chinese) 繁體中文 - 自行導覽 (Traditional Chinese) af Soomaali - Hagitaanka Shakhsi ahaaneed ee Booqashada (Somali) አማርኛ - በራስየሚመራጉብኝትለአዋቂዎች (Amharic)
View or print self-guided tours for teens.
Español - Visita autoguiada para adolescentes (Spanish) tiếng Việt - Chuyến Tham Quan Tự Hướng Dẫn dành cho Thanh Thiếu Niên (Vietnamese) 简体中文 - 青少年自助游览 (Simplified Chinese) 繁體中文 - 青少年自助遊覽 (Traditional Chinese) af Soomaali - Booqasho Leh Hagitaan Shakhsi ahaaneed oo Loogu Talagalay Caruurta (Somali) አማርኛ - ለወጣቶች በራስ የሚመራ ጉብኝት (Amharic)
View or print self-guided tours for kids.
Español - Visita autoguiada para niños, familias y grupos escolares (Spanish) tiếng Việt - Chuyến Tham Quan Tự Hướng Dẫn dành cho Trẻ Em, Gia Đình và Nhóm Trường Học (Vietnamese) 简体中文 - 适合儿童、家庭和学校团体的自助游览 (Simplified Chinese) 繁體中文 - 適合兒童、家庭和學校團體的自助遊覽 (Traditional Chinese) af Soomaali - Booqasho Leh Hagitaan Shakhsi ahaaneed oo Loogu Talagalay Caruurta, Qoysaska iyo Kooxaha Dugsiga (Somali) አማርኛ - ለልጆች፣ ቤተሰቦች እና የትምህርት ቤት ቡድኖች በራስ የሚመራ ጉብኝት (Amharic)
Guided Tours for Adults
We offer free tours of the Central Library for groups of 5-20 adults between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.