a free hideout in the brutalism
The Barbican Library is free to visit and you don't need membership. Full opening times, what time it closes and what to expect inside.
Free to visit · City of London · Barbican · EC2Y 8DS
Opening: Mon/Wed/Fri 9:30am–5:30pm, Tue/Thu 9:30am–7:30pm, Sat 9:30am–4pm, closed Sun & bank holidays
The Barbican Library is free to visit and you do not need to be a member just to browse, read or sit inside, a library card is only needed to borrow. It is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm, Tuesday and Thursday until 7:30pm, and Saturday 9:30am to 4pm; closed Sundays and bank holidays. Hidden on the second level of the Barbican Centre, it is the City of London's largest public lending library, far calmer than you would expect for somewhere so central.
It has a strong arts and music focus, including a dedicated music library where you can browse scores and recordings, plus reading areas, newspapers and a children's section. You can drop in to read, work or just shelter from the weather without spending anything or being a member.
Best of all it puts you right inside the Barbican estate, a free architectural icon of lakes, walkways and tower blocks, with the famous tropical conservatory a few floors away. A free library and a free piece of brutalist history rolled into one.
Getting there: Inside the Barbican Centre on Silk Street, a short walk from Barbican or Moorgate, follow the yellow line through the estate.
Best time to go: A weekday for the calm, then wander the Barbican estate and conservatory while you are there.
Insider tip: Use the library as your free base inside the Barbican, then explore the estate, the lakeside terrace and the conservatory on its open days. The music library is the secret gem, where you can sit with scores and recordings for nothing.
Official site: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/libraries
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide