The most beautiful and iconic libraries in the United States

Some of the world’s most important collections of books, manuscripts, and other sources of information are housed in libraries found across the United States. Many of these libraries are in themselves buildings of great historical significance. Designed by esteemed architects, they stand as important cultural landmarks. But how many do you know?

Browse this gallery and read through our list of favorite public, private, and academic libraries.

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Chicago Public Library, Illinois - Originally the central library building, which was inaugurated 1897, this is now the Chicago Cultural Center.

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Seattle Public Library, Washington - Designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramas, this striking facility is the city's flagship library.

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State Law Library, Iowa - Located in the Capitol Building in Des Moines, the library interior charms the eye with its 19th-century filigree lacework.

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William Oxley Thomson Memorial Library, Ohio - The main library at Ohio State University's Columbus campus. Originally built in 1912, it has since been renovated and expanded.

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Sterling Memorial Library, Connecticut - Opened in 1931, this elaborately decorated facility is the largest of Yale University's libraries.

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Geisel Library, California - The most recognized building on the University of California San Diego campus, Geisel is a prime example of Brutalist architecture.

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New York Public Library, New York - The second largest public library in the US, the main branch in Bryant Park, Manhattan, features the majestic Rose Main Reading Room.

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Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Connecticut - This astonishing building dates from 1963. Situated on Yale University's Hewitt Quadrangle, the modernist structure is renowned for its collection of incredibly rare books and manuscripts.

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Boston Public Library, Massachusetts - The Reading Room in the Library's McKim Building, built in 1895, features a lavishly decorated interior.

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Law School Library, Wisconsin - The library's impressive four-story glass atrium has been applauded by the American Institute of Architects for its innovative design. The building is located on the University of Wisconsin's Madison campus.

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George Peabody Library, Maryland -

Regularly cited as one of the most beautiful library interiors in the world, the 19th-century research library of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore has been described as a "cathedral of books."

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William T. Young Library, Kentucky - A landmark on the campus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, the library's exterior is recognized for its octagonal shape and signature brick-and-stone arcades gracing the facades.

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Indianapolis Central Public Library, Indiana - Completed in 1917 in the Greek Doric style using Indiana marble, the facility is considered by many as one of the great architectural libraries in the country.

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Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. - Holding a collection of more than 164 million items, among them 38 million books, this stunningly beautiful library is the largest in the world.

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Salt Lake City Public Library, Utah - The main library's "Urban Room" extends for all five floors of the building's interior and ends with a sweeping, 20,000 sq ft skylight.

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Lewis Science Library, New Jersey - Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, the library stands boldly in the heart of Princeton University's "science neighborhood."

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Fisher Fine Arts Library, Pennsylvania - The renowned building, a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1890 from designs drawn up by Frank Furness, one of Philadelphia's most prominent architects.

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Brooklyn Public Library, New York - Brooklyn's Central Library is clad in limestone. Striking art deco detail embellishes the entry portico; itself adorned by 15 bronze sculptures of famous characters and authors from American literature.

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Los Angeles Public Library, California - The interior of this historic 1926-built LA landmark features a four-part mural by illustrator Dean Cornwell (1892–1960) depicting various episodes in California history.

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Ashland Public Library, Oregon - Dating from 1912, this was originally a Carnegie Library. Substantially expanded and restored to its original form and colors, the facility remains an important focus for the local community.

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Uris Library, New York - Opened in 1891 as Cornell University's first library, the combination of beauty and utility garnered national acclaim for its designer William Henry Miller, Cornell's first student of architecture.

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North Dakota State Library, North Dakota - The library is sited in Bismark and housed in the grandiose Liberty Memorial Building, designed in the classical style and inaugurated in 1924.

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Suzzallo Library, Washington - The central library of the University of Washington in Seattle, the outstanding architectural feature is the Graduate Reading Room, styled on the great halls of Oxford and Cambridge, in the UK.

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Barker Engineering Library, Massachusetts - One of five divisional libraries at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The MIT library system was established in 1862.

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Fleet Library, Rhode Island - This Renaissance Revival banking hall from 1917 was a revered Providence landmark long before it was transformed into Rhode Island School of Design's eye-catching library.

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Billings Memorial Library, Vermont - Completed in 1883 on the campus of the University of Vermont in Burlington, the library was designed by the esteemed architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). Today, the building serves as a dining hall.

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Hearst Castle, California - The opulent former residence of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951) features a private library, his Gothic study, where nearly 40,000 books line carved redwood bookcases.

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Detroit Public Library, Michigan - Built in 1921, with north and south wings added in 1963, the city's main library was constructed using Vermont and Italian marble. Resulting in an early Italian-Renaissance style structure.

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Law School Library, Michigan - The University of Michigan's majestic law school library is located in Ann Arbor. Built between 1924 and 1933 in the English Gothic style, the facility is known for its 50-foot vaulted cathedral ceiling and grand chandeliers.

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Kansas City Public Library, Missouri -

The wonderfully original Community Bookshelf is the dominant architectural feature of this downtown library. The parking garage exterior has been designed as a bookshelf, with colorful book spines looming up over the sidewalk.

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