Seattle Central Library
A glass and steel-mesh library designed by Rem Koolhaas. Its yellow escalators and red corridor are popular photo spots.
Seattle Central Library was designed by OMA and Rem Koolhaas and opened in 2004. Its exterior is a diagonally stacked volume of steel mesh and glass, widely regarded as a contemporary architectural masterpiece. Highlights inside include a 10-story public reading room overlooking the city, bright yellow escalators, the all-red four-story 'Red Corridor,' and the 'Book Spiral' stacks, where books arranged by Dewey Decimal number spiral upward. Admission is free, and self-guided maps are available at the information desk. Hours on Sunday afternoons are shorter. Allow 45 to 60 minutes. It is located on Fourth Avenue in downtown.
Opening hours
10:00–20:00 (Fri–Sat until 18:00; Sun 12:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Sky View Observatory (Columbia Center)
- Smith Tower
- Pioneer Square & Underground Tour
- Seattle Art Museum
- Starbucks Reserve Roastery
- Pike Place Market
- Seattle Waterfront & Great Wheel
- Seattle Aquarium