It’s no secret that I’m a die-hard book lover—for me, there’s nothing more relaxing than hanging out among shelves of ‘em at a library. There’s something about all those crisp spines containing the ideas of amazing authors that inspires my best thinking.
And while my local library is great, I can’t help but marvel at some of the gorgeous libraries that pop up on my Instagram feed. They’re located all around the world, and I’d happily spend a day (or 50) exploring each one.
Here are 11 that have me itching to book a trip:
The National Autonomous University of Mexico is a world-renowned research university. The exterior of its biblioteca central (central library) is painted with a stunning mural called the Historical Representation of Culture, created by Juan O'Gorman. It’s an iconic building in Mexico, and the university campus itself is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The students of Johns Hopkins University are lucky enough to have the beautiful George Peabody Library on their campus. It was built in the late 1800s, and today, it’s a popular wedding venue, thanks to its Greek-inspired interior and soaring atrium. Who wouldn’t love to get lost among all those columns?
Those who prefer more modern architecture will love the Stuttgart City Library. It’s newer than many of the other libraries I fantasize about visiting (it opened in 2011), but it’s every bit as spectacular. With its all-white color scheme and sleek, modern lines, it evokes one of those optical illusions where the staircases magically switch directions.
The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro hosts the biggest collection of Portuguese literature outside of Portugal. Its unique reading room sports beautiful wooden floor-to-ceiling bookcases under a huge chandelier and skylight.
The U.K.'s Bodleian Library is one of the oldest in Europe, and its picturesque architecture has appeared in a number of popular movies (including the first two Harry Potter films). The library is part of Oxford University, and its castle-like exterior looks majestic, even on rainy days.
This Colosseum-inspired building is the central branch of the Vancouver Public Library, and yes, that’s a rooftop garden. Not only does this library house over 1 million volumes, but the surrounding “Library Square” is also home to lots of stores and restaurants.
This breathtaking library is located in the U.S. capital, near the White House, Washington Monument, and Smithsonian Museum. While you’re welcome to visit, only high-ranking government officials can actually check out books—so make sure to hit up your local library for reading material before your trip.
The Admont Abbey Library, which is renowned for its ornate Baroque architecture and art, is the world’s biggest monastery library. It's located on the edge of a river with mountains off in the distance, making it a scenic place to spend the day.
The white, curvy walls of the Tianjin Binhai Library are mesmerizing. The modern library was built in 2017 and has five stories and two rooftop patios to explore. Its winding walls can hold up to 1.2 million books, but I have to wonder how you’d ever get them all down.
How awesome is the geometric design of this library? The Geisel Library is part of the University of California San Diego, and it’s actually named after Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel. The building is home to more than 7 million volumes, and it’s been featured in a number of TV shows and movies over the years.
If you love minimalism, you’ll swoon over the Tama Art University Library in Tokyo. This school is one of the top art colleges in the country, and its library is meant to be a source of inspiration for students. The concrete arches and glass walls are an architectural wonder, but don’t worry, there are still books to read.
Written by: Camryn Rabideau
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Libraries in China are another interesting subject. One of the first things I did when I moved to China was try and find a library to go to - but there weren't really any public libraries in Beijing. There was one huge one but it's not a library like you or I would think of it. Security was so tight, it was more like going into a book prison.
After looking into the library in Tianjin it seems that although initially there weren't any books in it, it's now getting stocked. The Chinese reviews (on 大众点评) are pretty positive, although usually talk about it as an architectural feat rather than a library. The English-language reviews on Trip Advisor are much fewer in number and are more mixed - with most people saying it's not really a library.
I really hope it will become a library in the true sense of the word. They're such wonderful places.
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