VannyTaking a Los Angeles Central Library Tour is one of the best ways to discover the history, art, and architecture hidden inside this Downtown LA landmark. In 2026, the Los AngelesCentral Library is celebrating its 100th anniversary, making this the perfect year to explore the building and learn the stories behind it.
In 2026, the historic Los Angeles Central Library is celebrating its 100th anniversary, making this the perfect year to step inside and discover the history, architecture, murals, artwork, and stories hidden throughout the building.
I joined one of the library’s free docent-led Art & Architecture Tours, and for about an hour, we walked through different parts of the library while learning about its past. I saw the incredible Rotunda, walked through the enormous eight-story atrium, learned about the library’s retired card catalog, and even received an original catalog card as a keepsake.
I also got to see items from a time capsule that had been sealed inside the building’s cornerstone for more than a century.
If you enjoy historic buildings, architecture, art, or simply finding interesting free things to do in Los Angeles, this is a Downtown LA experience worth adding to your list.
A Los Angeles Landmark Turns 100
The Los Angeles Central Library’s historic building opened to the public on July 6, 1926, and was formally dedicated later that month.
The building was designed by architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, although Goodhue died unexpectedly in 1924 before seeing the project completed. His longtime associate Carleton Winslow ultimately brought the design to completion.
One of the people instrumental in creating the new Los Angeles Central Library was City Librarian Everett R. Perry. Perry had spent years advocating for a permanent central library and helped shape the way the interior would function.
The original layout centered around a grand space containing the circulation area and card catalogs, surrounded by book stacks and reading rooms. It was designed to make it easier for visitors to move from the central information area to books and then into specialized reading rooms.
A century later, you can still walk through much of this historic space.
Taking the Free Art & Architecture Tour
Taking a Los Angeles Central Library Tour gave me a completely different appreciation for the building.
There were architectural details, artwork, and pieces of history I probably would have walked right past without knowing their significance.
As we moved through the library, our docent explained how the original building was designed and how it has changed over the past 100 years.
And there is a lot to look at.
Los Angeles Central Library isn’t just historically importantāit is officially designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Beautiful Rotunda
One of my favorite parts of the tour was stepping inside the Rotunda.
This is definitely a place where you need to stop and look up.
The ceiling is beautifully decorated with painted designs by Los Angeles artist Julian Garnsey, while a large bronze Zodiac Chandelier designed by sculptor Lee Lawrie hangs in the center.
Around the upper walls are huge murals painted by illustrator Dean Cornwell.
The four major mural panels depict different periods of California history: the Era of Discovery, the Building of the Missions, the Founding of the Pueblo of Los Angeles, and the Americanization of California.
Interestingly, these murals weren’t installed when the library first opened. Cornwell spent several years working on them, and they were mounted in the Rotunda in 1933.
Standing underneath all of that artwork was one of those moments when I almost forgot I was inside a public library.
It felt more like walking through a museum.
Remember Card Catalogs?
Another part of the tour brought back a completely different era of libraries.
Before you could type the name of a book into a computer and instantly find where it was located, libraries relied on card catalogs.
Los Angeles Central Library’s original floor plan actually placed its card catalogs near the heart of the building.
The library has since retired the old system, but some of those familiar wooden card catalog cabinets remain on display.
The paper cards have been removed from the drawers, and during our tour, our docent gave each of us an original catalog card to take home as a keepsake.
Mine was even stamped “Central 100 ā 2026.”
I loved this part of the experience.
Instead of simply looking at something from the library’s past behind glass, I got to take a tiny piece of that history home with me.
The library is also finding creative ways to reuse some of its old catalog cards throughout the building. During our tour, we even got to see cards traveling down an elevator.
It was such a small detail, but it was one of the things I remembered most from the tour.
From the Historic Library to an Eight-Story Atrium
Walking through Los Angeles Central Library also lets you experience two very different eras of the building.
The original 1926 portion is now known as the Goodhue Building.
But Los Angeles Central Library today also includes the much newer Tom Bradley Wing, which opened in 1993 following a major restoration and expansion project.
The addition became necessary after decades of overcrowding and deterioration. The future of the original building was debated for years, and two devastating arson fires in 1986 caused even more damage.
Eventually, the historic Goodhue Building was restored while the new Tom Bradley Wing was constructed.
The library reopened in October 1993.
One of the most dramatic spaces in the newer wing is its enormous eight-level, glass-roofed atrium.
Escalators descend through the center while the different library levels rise around you. Suspended high above the atrium are three massive chandeliers created by artist Therman Statom.
Standing at the bottom and looking all the way up really gives you a sense of the scale of this place.
The contrast is also fascinating. One moment you’re surrounded by the architecture and artwork of the 1920s, and the next you’re standing in this huge, modern atrium.
A 101-Year-Old Time Capsule
Because 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Los Angeles Central Library, there was something especially interesting to see during my visit.
During construction in 1925, the Board of Library Commissioners and City Librarian Everett Perry placed a time capsule inside the building’s cornerstone.
The copper box contained documents, photographs, publications, and other materials representing the library and Los Angeles city departments at the time.
More than a century later, on January 29, 2026, the time capsule was unveiled to the public as part of the kickoff for Los Angeles Central Library’s centennial celebration.
That means this capsule had been inside the building since before the library even opened.
A selection of the contents is now on display near the Literature and Fiction Department on the third floor, while other items are housed in Special Collections.
Seeing pieces that had been intentionally sealed away in 1925 and then opened 101 years later was such an interesting way to connect the building’s past with its centennial celebration.
Los Angeles Central Library’s 100th Anniversary
The library isn’t celebrating its birthday for just one day.
Central 100 is a year-long celebration throughout 2026 honoring a century of the historic building.
For me, taking the Art & Architecture Tour felt like the perfect way to experience the anniversary.
Instead of simply walking into a 100-year-old building, I learned why certain spaces were designed the way they were, discovered the stories behind the artwork, saw how the library expanded over time, and learned how it survived challenges that could have resulted in the loss of this Los Angeles landmark.
Is the Los Angeles Central Library Tour Worth It?
Absolutelyāespecially because the tour is free.
If you’re visiting Downtown LA, the Los Angeles Central Library Tour is an easy way to experience the building’s history, art, and architecture in about an hour.
And even if you’re not normally someone who visits libraries while traveling, this one is different.
Between the Rotunda murals, historic architecture, eight-story atrium, public artwork, retired card catalog, and centennial exhibits, there is plenty to see without ever opening a book.
Visiting the Los Angeles Central Library
Los Angeles Central Library
630 W. 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Tour: Art & Architecture of Central Library
Cost: Free
Length: Approximately one hour
Before your visit, check the current Los Angeles Central Library Tour schedule on the library’s official website.
Final Thoughts
After 100 years, the Los Angeles Central Library is still doing exactly what it was built to doābringing people together to learn and discover.
But what surprised me most was how much there was to discover about the building itself.
I went in expecting to see a beautiful old library. I left having learned about a century of Los Angeles history, carrying an original catalog card stamped for the centennial as my own little keepsake.
From looking up at the murals inside the Rotunda to standing at the bottom of the eight-story atrium and seeing objects sealed away in 1925, this tour made the history of the library feel tangible.
So if you’re looking for a free thing to do in Downtown Los Angeles, don’t just walk past Central Library.
Go inside.
And while this landmark celebrates its 100th birthday, take the tour and discover the stories that have been hiding inside for a century.
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Looking for more places to explore in Los Angeles? Check out more of my Southern California adventures and hidden gems.
