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Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver

Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver

The Vancouver Public Library transcends the typical concept of a public library. In 1990, when the city of Vancouver aimed to construct a new public library, they embraced a diverse range of designs for public voting. The victor emerged as a design by Moshe Safdie, which deviated from convention, presenting a distinctive layout. This design featured a central rectangular space housing the library itself, encompassed by a striking elliptical wall.

Within this architectural marvel, the library functions inhabit a seven-story rectangular zone. Here, one finds an extensive collection of library materials, including books, periodicals, and reference materials. Encircling this core is a colonnaded wall, serving as a framework that connects study areas and reading rooms through bridges adorned with illuminated wells. Positioned directly opposite The Center in Vancouver for the Performing Arts, the library forms a harmonious pairing with another creation designed by Safdie at the city's behest.

Across the years, this edifice has gained recognition through appearances in numerous films and television series. Notably, the Central Branch of the library became the headquarters of the cloning company in "The 6th Day." Additionally, scenes from "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" found their backdrop in the entrance hall of the Central Branch. The library's various spaces also provided settings for several scenes within the sci-fi shows "Battlestar Galactica" and "Caprica."

Why You Should Visit:
If you're a literature or architecture fan, and have a taste for sound urban design, you will love this place.
If you appreciate free activities and services, or simply seek out things to do on a rainy day, you will love this library just as well.
In addition to the newly-opened rooftop garden, the two upper floors (8th/9th), which were previously leased out, have been tastefully renovated.

Tip:
While escalators and elevators help deliver you quickly to your destination, the trip up the levels is worth it to see how the floor plans differ and merge into open spaces.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vancouver. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Vancouver Public Library on Map

Sight Name: Vancouver Public Library
Sight Location: Vancouver, Canada (See walking tours in Vancouver)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Vancouver, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Vancouver

Create Your Own Walk in Vancouver

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vancouver is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Gastown Walking Tour

Gastown Walking Tour

To get the feel of authentic Vancouver, head for the Gastown district. This is where the city was born: an ex-sailor turned gold prospector built an inn here in the late 19th century and a small settlement, mostly of mill workers, dockhands and merchants, sprang up around it. Many of the streets in Gastown are still cobblestoned and you will find lovely examples of Victorian buildings that have...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Vancouver Chinatown Walking Tour

Vancouver Chinatown Walking Tour

Vancouver's Chinatown is the second-largest Chinese-centered area in North America. As such, it has long attracted hordes of tourists with its expressive culture, inexpensive but delicious food, and fabulous traditional architecture.

The very first landmark that welcomes visitors entering Chinatown is the grand, ornate structure called the Millennium Gate. With its intricate architectural...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles
Granville Island Walking Tour

Granville Island Walking Tour

Successfully transformed, back in the 1970s, from an industrial wasteland into one of the most beloved public spaces in Vancouver, Granville Island is now viewed as a premier artistic and cultural hub famous for its balance of functionality and flare. It is equally popular as a shopping destination, too, with a plethora of other attractions like art galleries, markets, and a brewery to boot....  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Vancouver Downtown Walking Tour

Vancouver Downtown Walking Tour

Numerous historic and otherwise notable landmarks scattered throughout Downtown Vancouver make it a hot traveler's destination. Each such landmark is unique in itself and has a great deal of story to tell visitors, be it cultural history or simple amusement.

While in Downtown you can't miss the Vancouver Lookout. This observation deck lures you with its breathtaking scenery – the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vancouver Yaletown Walking Tour

Vancouver Yaletown Walking Tour

For many years, Yaletown was the thriving industrial heart of Vancouver. Today, this historic neighborhood looks unlike any other part of the city and is considered to be the home of Vancouver's "elite" society.

The Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre is a prominent landmark here, serving as a hub for art exhibitions and recreational activities. Its historic...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Vancouver Introduction Walking Tour

Vancouver Introduction Walking Tour

A bustling seaport on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver is among the country's densest and most ethnically diverse cities. It is also one of British Columbia's youngest cities. Prior to the Europeans, the Vancouver area had been inhabited – for almost 10,000 years – by Aboriginal tribes: Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard). The explorer Simon Fraser and his crew were...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


16 Distinctively Canadian Things to Buy in Vancouver

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