Architecture & icons / Midtown
Detroit Public Library — Main Library
Reading rooms, murals, and marble stairs make Detroit’s Main Library an architectural destination.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
Designed by Cass Gilbert and opened in 1921, the Main Library on Woodward Avenue contributes art and architecture to Midtown’s cultural district as well as books. Decorated spaces and historical collections connect it closely to Detroit’s intellectual life. A quiet visit can provide a welcome change of pace between the neighboring museums, while its research collections serve a different, more focused purpose.
- Cass Gilbert’s main building
- Murals and decorative art
- Historical collections
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 7
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Cass Gilbert 1859–1934 · architect
Worked here
His marble Renaissance-style library in the Cultural Center, opened in 1921 and later extended with wings by Cass Gilbert Jr. and Francis Keally.
- Jam Handy 1886–1983 · Olympic swimmer and water polo player, industrial filmmaker
Memorial
Holds Handy's personal papers and the surviving records of the Jam Handy Organization.
- Gari Melchers 1860–1932 · painter, muralist
Worked here
Holds his set of three murals on the history of Detroit.
- Henry Billings Brown 1836–1913 · lawyer, federal judge, U.S. Supreme Court justice
Related place
The Main Library's Burton Historical Collection holds his diaries and papers.
- Ernie Harwell 1918–2010 · baseball broadcaster
Memorial
The library dedicated a room to Ernie and Lulu Harwell in 2004 and holds his large baseball memorabilia collection.
- Clarence M. Burton 1853–1932 · lawyer, businessman, historian and collector
Founded
The Main Library in Midtown, home of the Burton Historical Collection that grew from his 1914 gift.
- E. Azalia Hackley 1867–1922 · concert soprano, choral director, educator, activist
Memorial
The Main Library houses the E. Azalia Hackley Collection of African Americans in the Performing Arts, founded in her name in 1943.
A closer look
Photos were taken at different times; images are resized and cropped on cards.
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¼ · Stay
Sleep right around the corner
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-24
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
Historical background: Wikipedia and its contributors; article licenses and revision histories are available on the source pages.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
Nov 10, 2026, 6:00 PMheroes, interlopers
heroes, interlopers, a free improvisation string quartet concert, takes place Tuesday, November 10, at 6 p.m. at the Main branch of the Detroit Public Library in Detroit. It's organized by the Detroit Public Library.
Nov 15, 2026, 3:00 PMMichigan Flute Orchestra: On our way to Hollywood!
The Michigan Flute Orchestra plays a concert on Sunday, November 15, at 3 p.m. at the Main Detroit Public Library on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. The program is titled "On our way to Hollywood!"
Nov 17, 2026, 6:00 PMThe Sensorium Chamber Orchestra and The Terpsichore Collective
The Sensorium Chamber Orchestra and The Terpsichore Collective team up for a sound and movement concert on Tuesday, November 17, at 6 p.m. at the Main Library of the Detroit Public Library in Detroit. The program pairs Satie, Miller and Terry Riley, and there's a ticket link.
Nov 21, 2026, 2:00 PMHYPE SATURDAY: Creative Collective
Detroit Public Library hosts HYPE SATURDAY: Creative Collective on Saturday, November 21, at 2 p.m. at the Main | Detroit Public Library, Hype Teen Center in Detroit. The focus is right in the tagline: Create. Collaborate. Inspire.
Dec 5, 2026, 2:00 PMAuthor Talk: Detroit's Hidden History with Richard Bak
Award-winning author Richard Bak shares stories from the Motor City on Saturday, December 5, at 2 p.m. at the Main Library of the Detroit Public Library in Detroit.
Dec 5, 2026, 5:00 PMAuthor Talk: Noel Night With Children's Writer Derrick Barnes
Derrick Barnes, a National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author, speaks on Saturday, December 5, at 5 p.m. at the Main Library of the Detroit Public Library in Detroit. The Noel Night author talk is organized by the Detroit Public Library.
Dec 9, 2026, 6:00 PMAuthor Talk: The Sound of Safety
Detroit Public Library hosts an in-person author talk with the writer behind The Sound of Safety on Wednesday, December 9, at 6 p.m. at the Main Library in Detroit.
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