Parkway Central Library

1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
between 19th and 20th Streets on the Parkway
Open today 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, 12/22 Closed
Monday, 12/23 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 12/24 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. *
Wednesday, 12/25 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Closed *
Thursday, 12/26 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, 12/27 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 12/28 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • * Tuesday has hour changes – in preparation for the Christmas holiday
  • * Wednesday has hour changes – Christmas Day
Sunday Closed
Monday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Upcoming Closures

  • Tue., Dec. 31 : Closing at 1:00 PM in preparation for the New Year holiday
  • Wed., Jan. 1 : Closed New Year's Day
  • Mon., Jan. 20 : Closed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Mon., Feb. 17 : Closed Presidents' Day
View all holiday closings

Facilities

  • Baby changing station
  • Bicycle rack
  • Book drop box
  • Change machine
  • Computers for public use
  • Electrical outlets available
  • Handicapped accessible
  • Meeting space (reservation required)
  • Photocopier (black/white)
  • Printing (black/white)
  • Public restrooms
  • Scanner
  • Screen magnify tools
  • Self-service checkout
  • Street parking (metered)
  • Street parking
  • Study rooms
  • Water fountain
  • Wireless internet access (wi/fi)

Upcoming Events

Rare Books Roadshow

Tue, December 24, 2024 11:00 A.M.

While construction continues on Parkway Central Library's third floor, join staff from the Rare Book Department , Theatre Collection , and Children's Literature Research Collection for a…

Rare Books Roadshow

Tue, December 24, 2024 11:00 A.M.

While construction continues on Parkway Central Library's third floor, join staff from the Rare Book Department , Theatre Collection , and Children's Literature Research Collection for a…

Rare Books Roadshow

Tue, December 24, 2024 11:00 A.M.

While construction continues on Parkway Central Library's third floor, join staff from the Rare Book Department , Theatre Collection , and Children's Literature Research Collection for a…

Night Raven Gaming Society

Tue, December 24, 2024 6:00 P.M.

New to 40k... come and learn to play... experienced players we have organized play.... Assemble forces for historical battles in WWII, Vietnam, Middle East and even Modern conflicts. The…

Free Tours

Parkway Central Library Tours

One Hour Tour   All Ages Welcome
Exterior of Parkway Central Library
Historic Building Tour
  • Monday and Tuesday 10:00 a.m.
  •  Wednesday and Thursday 2:00 p.m.
Please meet in the main First Floor lobby.
Explore the grand Beaux-Arts building of Parkway Central Library, an important part of Philadelphia's past and present that opened in 1927 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The specialized tour showcases unique architecture and history, while covering the many collections and services that make the Free Library such a valuable and critical resource.
No reservations are required. However groups of 10 or more are encouraged to submit a Group Tour Request.
Group Tour Request

Departments

About


Parkway Central Library Welcomes You [A downloadable brochure for a self-guided tour]

Video Tour through Parkway Central [background blog post with embedded videos]


Designed by Julian Abele, a prominent African American architect from Philadelphia who worked in Horace Trumbauer’s firm, the Parkway Central Library first opened its doors on June 2, 1927. As an anchor cultural and educational institution on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, we welcome over 1 million visitors each year from the city, its countryside, and around the world. Our patrons come to learn from our public events, to consult our special collections, and to tap the expertise of our librarians and curators in each of the subject departments and special collections. On most days, volunteer docents offer architectural walks through the building.