Main Library
🏢 Detroit Public Library — Detroit, Michigan
Main Library
The white-marble flagship of the Detroit Public Library, Cass Gilbert's 1921 Italian Renaissance landmark anchors the Woodward Avenue Cultural Center across from the Detroit Institute of Arts.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Tuesday | 12 PM – 8 PM |
| Wednesday | 12 PM – 8 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Friday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: (313) 481-1400
Website: detroitpubliclibrary.org
📖 About Main Library
The Main Library opened on March 21, 1921, from a design by architect Cass Gilbert, built of Vermont marble with serpentine Italian marble trim in the early Italian Renaissance style. It sits on Woodward Avenue in Detroit's Cultural Center, directly opposite the Detroit Institute of Arts, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 as part of the Cultural Center Historic District. North and south wings designed by Cass Gilbert Jr. and Francis Keally opened in 1963, adding a Cass Avenue entrance graced by Millard Sheets' mosaic "The River of Knowledge." The building houses the Burton Historical Collection, an internationally known archive of Detroit and Great Lakes history begun by attorney Clarence M. Burton, along with the E. Azalia Hackley Collection documenting African Americans in the performing arts, the Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, and a rare book collection. Alongside these research holdings, the Main Library runs the HYPE Teen Center, a makerspace-equipped space for teens, plus career help, newspaper archives, and patent and trademark services.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Cass Gilbert's 1921 Vermont-marble Italian Renaissance building, on the National Register of Historic Places and facing the Detroit Institute of Arts
- Home to the Burton Historical Collection, a major archive of Detroit and Great Lakes history assembled by Clarence M. Burton
- 1963 wings by Cass Gilbert Jr. and Francis Keally, entered under Millard Sheets' mosaic "The River of Knowledge"
- The HYPE Teen Center, with a makerspace, events, and study areas dedicated to teens
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the Main Library building and when did it open?
Architect Cass Gilbert designed the building, which opened on March 21, 1921. It is faced in Vermont marble with serpentine Italian marble trim in the early Italian Renaissance style, and north and south wings were added in 1963.
What is the Burton Historical Collection?
It is one of the Main Library's signature research collections, focused on the history of Detroit and the Great Lakes region. It grew from the personal collection of attorney and Detroit historiographer Clarence Monroe Burton, whose gift helped establish it at the library.
What special collections can I find at the Main Library?
Beyond the Burton Historical Collection, the Main Library holds the E. Azalia Hackley Collection documenting African Americans in the performing arts, the Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, and a rare book collection, making it a major research destination.