Fitness
The 3 Most Beautiful Libraries In America
These are dream spaces for any lover of literature.
View of the Main Reading Room in the Library of Congress at the Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C.
Edwin Remsberg/Alamy Stock Photo
The library: a place where we can escape reality, browse good old-fashioned books, get lost in a world of our choosing, or simply sit and enjoy the stillness. In today’s world of digital likes, downloads, and text messages, it’s refreshing to know that libraries — with real books — still exist. So I set out to find the most beautiful libraries our country has to offer, and what I discovered was both surprising and refreshing. I stumbled across dozens of people who not only had a favorite library in mind but were quite attached to it. People LOVE libraries, not only for the books and stories they hold, but for their beauty, architecture, and design. They are buildings lined with the dreams of both the authors whose words they hold and the people who love them. And so, without further ado, I offer three of the most beautiful libraries in the United States.
George Peabody Library
A view of the "Cathedral of Books" at the George Peabody Library in Baltimore.
JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado/Getty Images
Next time you find yourself in Baltimore, Maryland, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit the appropriately nicknamed “Cathedral of Books.” Celebrated for its 61-foot atrium, five tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies climbing toward a massive skylight, and a stunning black-and-white marble floor, this library holds more than 300,000 volumes, most of which are from the 19th century. Because of its breathtaking interior, it is often booked for weddings and other formal events. Owned by Johns Hopkins University, the library’s ground floor is open to the public and admission is free — but plan ahead: The library is closed Fridays and Saturdays, and the upper tiers are off-limits to visitors, both for their own safety and for the protection of the collection.
New York Public Library
Exterior view of New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Founded in 1895 to offer free and open access to knowledge and opportunity, the New York Public Library is the nation’s largest public library system, with 92 locations throughout Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Its main location, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue, is by far its most recognizable. You may have spotted the building in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Thomas Crown Affair, and/or Ghostbusters. And, girlfriends … You may remember that Carrie Bradshaw herself planned to marry the infamous Mr. Big there in Sex and the City: The Movie. Why all the hype? Once you see it, you will understand. The building is a Beaux-Arts masterpiece. Patience and Fortitude, the famous marble lions, greet visitors at the entrance. In contrast, the marble exterior is reminiscent of a classical Greek or Roman monument with its Corinthian columns and arched entryways. The Rose Main Reading Room is a must-see — measuring 78 feet wide and 297 feet long — making it one of the largest rooms in the United States. Look up and admire its 52-foot-high ceiling, complete with hand-painted skies and clouds. Guests rave about the ornate chandeliers, oak reading tables, and vast arched windows. Admission to the library is free. The Rose Main Reading Room is primarily reserved for reading, quiet study, and research. Guests can arrange to view The Rose Main Reading Room during the public visiting hour from 10 to 11 a.m., Monday through Saturday, or schedule a guided tour. Library hours vary, so be sure to check the library’s website before visiting.
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Library of Congress
The Great Hall of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Alamy Stock Photo
What would the nation’s capital be without a breathtaking library of its own? And let me tell you, girlfriends, you can spend a full day here with just your camera and reading glasses. The Library of Congress is the largest in the world, with more than 178 million books, maps, manuscripts, photographs, recordings, films, and other historical treasures. Its collection represents approximately 470 languages, making the library a true melting pot of literature, history, art, and culture.
And like most historic buildings, it has a unique story worth telling. It was founded in 1800 and was originally housed inside the U.S. Capitol. When the British troops burned the Capitol down in 1814, the fire destroyed the library’s collection of approximately 3,000 volumes. Thomas Jefferson, in order to assist with the rebuilding of the library, sold Congress his personal library of 6,487 books, and the library was reborn.
Designed in an Italian Renaissance style, its granite exterior, complete with a grand staircase, classical columns, and a copper dome, offers visitors only a hint of the beauty that waits inside. The Great Hall is the building’s main attraction, rising 75 feet from its marble floor to its stained-glass ceiling. Marble staircases and columns, mosaic floors, murals, and sculptures promise that every nook and cranny of the building is, indeed, a masterpiece of its own. The decorations are filled with symbols of literature, mythology, science, creativity, and the pursuit of knowledge — from the names of 10 great writers lining the ceiling (including Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare) to a mosaic of Minerva (the goddess of wisdom) presiding over it all. It is a dream space for any lover of literature, or design.
These three are just a start, girlfriends, because if there’s one thing I learned while writing this, it’s that there is certainly no lack of breathtaking libraries in these United States of America. You may find a beautiful one in your own backyard. So, grab a coffee, a book-loving girlfriend, and plan a trip worth writing about.
Do YOU have a favorite library? Let us know in the comments below.
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