Minneapolis Central Library
🏢 Hennepin County Library · Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis Central Library
Designed by César Pelli and opened in 2006, Minneapolis Central Library's 353,000-square-foot glass-atrium landmark on Nicollet Mall anchors Hennepin County Library's 26-branch network — housing Minnesota's only Patent and Trademark Resource Center and a 15,000-album vinyl listening room.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | 12pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (612) 543-8000
Website: hclib.org
Plus Code: 86P8XPJH+6X (Minneapolis, MN)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Minneapolis Central Library
Minneapolis Central Library — the flagship of Hennepin County Library's 26-branch system — opened on May 20, 2006 in a 353,000-square-foot building designed by César Pelli and Fred W. Clarke of Pelli Clarke & Partners. The six-story structure at 300 Nicollet Mall features a soaring glass Commons atrium, an 18,560-square-foot green roof with drought-resistant plantings, and windows etched with ceramic fritting depicting Minnesota landscapes — birch trees, water ripples, prairie grasses, and snow. Minneapolis has maintained a public library since 1885, with its first dedicated building opening in 1889. The 2006 building won the 2009 AIA/American Library Association Library Building Award and made nearly 100% of the collection available on open shelves, up from just 15% in the prior building. In 2008 the Minneapolis Public Library merged with Hennepin County Library, creating a unified 26-branch network serving the entire metro area.
⭐ What makes this library special
- César Pelli–designed 353,000 sq ft building opened May 20, 2006; 2009 AIA/ALA Library Building Award winner
- James K. Hosmer Special Collections (4th floor): 400+ Mark Twain first editions, 1,000+ WWII propaganda posters, 2,175+ local yearbooks, rare maps from the 1850s onward
- Minnesota's only USPTO-designated Patent and Trademark Resource Center (2nd floor) — free patent search assistance for inventors and small businesses
- Best Buy Teen Tech Center (ages 12–19): music/video production, 3D printing, robotics, graphic design — open Mon–Thu 3–8 PM during the school year
- Vinyl Revival Listening Room (3rd floor): 15,000+ albums including the Matthew Marvel Dance Music Collection of 5,000+ LPs, reservable for up to 2 hours
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Hennepin County Library cardholders access statewide and national digital resources free:
📚 Services
- James K. Hosmer Special Collections (4th floor, Mon–Thu 9 AM–4:30 PM; call 612-543-8200)
- Patent and Trademark Resource Center (2nd floor) — Minnesota's only USPTO-designated PTRC
- Best Buy Teen Tech Center — free creative tech workspace for ages 12–19 (Mon–Thu 3–8 PM school year)
- Vinyl Revival Listening Room (3rd floor, N-301) — turntable, headphone amp, 15,000+ albums; reservable up to 2 hrs/day for ages 18+
- Piano Room — soundproofed, reservable for 1-hour sessions up to 3 times per week
- Cargill Gallery (2nd floor) — free rotating exhibitions spotlighting local artists from underserved communities
- In-library Ancestry Library Edition access
- Meeting rooms (reservable at hclib.libcal.com)
- Assistive Technology Lab
- Zine Collection (Minnesota makers)
- Genealogy and local history research assistance
🎸 Programs
- Vinyl Revival Events — monthly curated listening sessions
- Best Buy Teen Tech Center Community Open Houses (3rd Thursday of each month)
- Talk of the Stacks — author events (Friends of HCL)
- Patent and trademark educational programs for inventors and small businesses
- Arts and culture programs (Cargill Gallery openings)
- Summer learning programs (all ages)
- Genealogy and local history workshops
- Business, employment, and legal resources programming
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Twin Cities Metro
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Minneapolis · Browse all Minnesota libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the Minneapolis Central Library building, and what makes it architecturally distinctive?
The current building was designed by César Pelli and Fred W. Clarke of Pelli Clarke & Partners and opened on May 20, 2006. At 353,000 square feet, it features a six-story glass atrium called the Commons, an 18,560-square-foot green roof with drought-resistant plantings, and windows with ceramic fritting depicting Minnesota landscapes — birch trees, water ripples, prairie grasses, and snow. It won the 2009 AIA/American Library Association Library Building Award.
What is the James K. Hosmer Special Collections, and how do I access it?
The James K. Hosmer Special Collections on the 4th floor preserves rare and historical materials related to Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and beyond. Holdings include over 400 Mark Twain first editions, more than 1,000 WWII propaganda posters, 2,175+ local high school yearbooks dating from 1890, thousands of rare maps from the 1850s onward, and an extensive abolition collection featuring materials on Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. The department is open Monday–Thursday 9 AM–4:30 PM; call 612-543-8200 for appointments.
Is Minneapolis Central Library the only place in Minnesota to research patents and trademarks?
Yes. The Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) on the second floor is the only USPTO-designated PTRC in Minnesota. It provides free access to patent and trademark search tools, a reference collection, and trained staff who offer educational programs and one-on-one guidance — available to inventors, small business owners, and the general public.
What is the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, and who can use it?
The Best Buy Teen Tech Center is a free creative technology workspace for youth ages 12–19 inside Minneapolis Central Library. Members can record music, produce video, 3D-print objects, design graphics, and build robots. It operates Monday–Thursday 3–8 PM during the school year. Membership requires a signed agreement and parental permission; contact bbttc@hclib.org to learn more.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.