St. Louis library shows off its award-winning designs

We’ve learned on recent vacations that some cities have amazing libraries and worthy of “tourist” stops.

The St. Louis central library was no exception. The interior was an architect’s dream. The ceiling in several rooms was historic and impressive.

The library was one of a few buildings in the United States named as a recipient of the American Institute of Architects’ Honors Award for its design and commitment for renovation. The library was cited for its use of Beaux Art.

The library is so proud of its architectural design that it offers a visitor’s guide with recommendations.

We checked out the 10 items on the flier.

The first was the Grand Foyer. It made use of its Beaux art painting.

Just off the main entrance are alabaster and marble lamps. The lamps we looked at were strategically positioned, with a bench between them.

Also on the second floor (just off the main entrance) was the Fine Arts room. It is home to a replica of an Italian church ceiling.

Moving from the second to third floor, we walked up the Grand Staircase. Here, we viewed the stained glass window the library features. The outside light creates a beautiful view through the glass.

The third floor features a 100-year-old skylight. The Carnegie room was actually locked, so we couldn’t get up close. Next best thing is a photo through the fancy designs on the glass door.

We visited the Special Collections room. This room houses special exhibits as well as classical books and papers. It is temperature controlled. The room was home to famous writings, including a copy of the Canterbury Tales.

Our next stop took us to the first floor. A reading room has several famous quotes on the ceiling. It was cool to see quotes from “Catch 22” to author Graham Greene.

One of our favorite spots at the library was the Jelly Babies. Three sculptures representing the famous Jelly Belly candies stand in front of the children’s library. They were cute sculptures.

The library is also home to a glass-enclosed Book Club. This room is dedicated for book clubs to meet and discuss members’ recent readings.

The last item on the list was the library’s auditorium.

We really liked the ceiling designs in each room. You can immediately see that St. Louis leaders care about their libraries and their constituents. The rooms are large and open.

The view from the downtown library was great. You could see other older buildings nearby. The library is centrally located downtown.

The St. Louis central library is worth a stop when visiting. I wish all larger cities cared about their libraries like we saw here.