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Seattle Public Library-Central Library

Seattle Central Library

A dramatic glass and steel structure in the heart of Downtown, designed by Rem Koolhaas. This is not an average public library and has become a tourist destination in its own right. A popular way to experience the unique architecture of the building is to take an elevator to the 10th floor, the highest observation deck in the building. From here you can walk down to the main floor through the Book Spiral; the core of the structure which organizes the library's books in one continuous path organized by the Dewey decimal system.

Address: 1000 4th Ave
Hours: Mon-Thu 10AM-8PM, Fri Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM
Price: Free
Website: spl.org (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Seattle/Downtown, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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