George Peabody Library

George Peabody Library

George Peabody Library Pixabay Public Domain

Welcome to the George Peabody Library, one of the most beautiful libraries in the world!

Formerly known as the Library of the Peabody Institute of the City of Baltimore, this 19th-century-focused research library is a part of Sheridan Libraries within The John Hopkins University. It holds over 300,000 volumes of books from the renaissance through the 19th-century. It first officially opened its doors in 1878, with a mission to be 'filled with the most appropriate books of the day'.

The architect behind this masterpiece was Edmund G. Lind, creating the library in an ornate Greek Revival style. There is a massive skylight over six tiers of cast-iron balconies, the large atrium, called the Grand Reading Room, providing some of the most awe-inspiring views of the building's interior. The room is so gorgeous that it is frequently rented out for private events, galas, and weddings.

During your visit you may schedule a tour as well as visit the Exhibit Room, with regularly changing exhibits, the current example being 'City People: Black Baltimore in the Photos of John Clark Mayden'. Note that the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Peabody Library Copyright John Lehr Credit VISIT BALTIMORE