Linn-Henley Research Library, Birmingham, AL, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

The Linn-Henley Research Library is a neoclassical limestone building facing Linn Park in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Opened in 1927 as the city's main public library, it now serves as a research library and is one of the most handsome civic buildings in the area.

The story behind it

When it opened in 1927, the building was Birmingham's main public library, a grand statement from a young industrial city that books and learning deserved a landmark of their own. Its design follows the classical style popular for public buildings of the era, with a stone facade that fits the formal setting of Linn Park.

Once a newer central library took over everyday lending, this building changed roles and became a research library. Inside, the reading room is decorated with murals by the artist Ezra Winter, who filled the space with scenes drawn from world literature. Today the building is valued as much for its art and architecture as for the collections it holds.

What to look for

• The classical facade of pale stone, with its formal proportions and carved detail, which looks especially good when the light turns golden late in the day.
• The view across Linn Park, which shows how the library was set as a civic building among green space and other public landmarks.
• The entrance, where the scale of the doorway and steps gives a sense of the ambition behind a 1920s public library.
• If you go inside when it is open, the painted murals in the reading room by Ezra Winter, which turn a study space into a gallery of literary themes.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 20 minutes to see the exterior and the park, and more if you plan to go inside for the murals.
• Because it is a working research library, public access and rules can change, so check current opening hours before you go.
• Late afternoon is a pleasant time for photos, when the stone catches the low sun and the park is calmer.
• Linn Park is right beside it, so you can combine the library with a stroll through the park and the other civic buildings around it.

See it on a quest

The library works best as one stop on a longer walk rather than a lone photo. Ghost Hunt in Birmingham, AL is a self-guided quest that takes you on foot through downtown, and this building is one of the places it passes. As you arrive, the app tells you about the place and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the facade and surroundings more closely than you otherwise would. Its ghostly theme suits the old civic streets. One ticket covers the whole group, you can start whenever you like, and there is no guide or tour time to fit around.