George Peabody Library

I’m just reviewing the aesthetics of the place here. I popped in on my way to work one time, and was astounded by the sheer beauty of this library. There are multiple stories and a wide open space in the center where you could presumably read or work or whatever other things people do in the library. I’d imagine that this would be an ideal place to study or relax on a lazy afternoon.

This appears to be a library for rich people who don’t work. Only open 9 – 5, Tuesday to Friday makes it impossible for working people to get a chance to visit. When I did try, there were no handles on the doors, and it was closed for the entire holiday from Christmas well past New Years! Such a shame, but I guess it’s what’s to be expected of a library in the USA.

GREAT WEDDING VENUE!
Beautiful wedding venue for ceremony and reception. Great book/​library theme! Garage parking in downtown Baltimore for a small $ 5 fee. The attendants said to be out by 10:30; lost parking ticket is $ 10. Even though I wasn’t told of this before leaving my car, it wasn’t a problem.
A great time was had. Beautiful, majestic, evening wedding, The lobby area was large enough and great for the cocktail reception. A photobooth was set up off to the side (not intrusive or awkwardly placed.) The hall was switched over to the reception area in about 1.5 hours. I was just about to give up on my heels as we stood, but it was worth the wait. Intimate, but not overcrowded seating for the dinner and a nice medium to small dance floor area. Catered dinner was decent. Simply perfect!
Bathroom is a floor down, but there is access by elevator. The garage is accessible from the inside. I didn’t realize until after I left the wedding and walked around the building.

A fantastic spot for a wedding or a stroll! One of the most beautiful libraries I have seen. The odd hours are a drag but its worth going to on a weekday. The surrounding area is probably my favorite spot in Bmore.

Amazing place but they don’t allow you to go upstairs, which is a little disappointing. It doesn’t open on weekend.

This review is for The George Peabody Library as a wedding venue…
Simply breath-​taking. Stunning. I couldn’t imagine a more elegant venue.
Though this space was obviously not originally intended as a wedding venue, it functions as one perfectly. In addition to being gorgeous, there is a large lovely exhibit-​type room in front of the main library room that works beautifully for cocktail hour and a gathering place before the ceremony. It’s spacious, has back areas for getting ready and for catering, a good sized-​dance floor, a cubby-​like area for the DJ to tuck away into, and… it’s just plain magical!
The only negative (which is perfectly understandable) is no candles allowed. But this place isn’t hurting for ambiance– you won’t miss them.

Went here for a friends wedding and had a good time. It was weird being in a library for a wedding but they made it look very nice. Not much to really say other than the place was well put together.

If there was no limit on the time I could park out in front of the library, I would most certainly come when they open on my days off and stay until they close. The library is breathtaking.

This library is breathtaking. If feels like I have stepped into some ancient monument in Italy. Everything is gilded gold and tall columns. I study here all the time, there’s always free seats.

Completely gorgeous. The design is a feast for the eyes. Great location, too, right by the Mt Vernon monument. We went on a Friday afternoon, and were said for a minute when the guard said that the library was closed due to a meeting being held later that day, but we were allowed to peek into exhibit room and through the glass doors. Got to check out several 16^th-​17^th century books under glass, and a ladies’ fashion catalog from that era, when one of the people setting up for the conference said we could check out the library while they set up for the event! I was so happy, my folks were in town from Houston and I really wanted to show it to my dad. That was absolutely great and unexpected kindness! Thanks!

I am only writing for my friend’s wedding here! :)
This is one of the most beautiful venues for wedding!!! The high ceilings and the layers of floor just created this beautiful ambiance perfect for any classy events. Even with the minimal flower arrangements, the place looks awesome; like how pretty girls look stunning with wearing only lipsticks. Lol
Just outside the library at the foyer serves as the perfect space for cocktail hrs and dessert bar area.
The library itself is located inside the block of very quaint buildings and in a safe area that you would have no idea how ghetto the neighboring areas are. The couple arranged a hotel a block away from the library, which made it super easy for us.
I am taking one star off because of the bathroom situating quite a walk from the library but that’s it!:)

Open to the public Tues through Friday, the peabody library is consistently listed as one of the most beautiful college libraries in the country. The narrow book stacks above the ground floor that rise up to the top of the atrium are off limits so you can only look up and imagine what the view would be like from up top.
This is a really old library. When you walk in you are hit with the pungent smell of books older than your grandmother whose covers are like soft leather, worn and weathered. It is one of the only places in Baltimore where you feel like you literally step back in time, fully expecting someone in victorian clothing to walk past you.
It’s a nice place to study in once in a while, and it’s a setting unlike any other. There’s surprisingly never more than a smattering of people there, either studying or gawking at the architecture. Overall, the Peabody Library feels like a Baltimore secret, a beautiful atrium from the 1800s hidden in Mt. Vernon.

This is such an inspiring and beautiful library. I’m so glad I took my friend’s recommendation and stopped in. My library and book-​obsessed boyfriend thought it was one of the best things he’d ever seen. If I lived in Baltimore and needed a quiet place to study or work (or a special event venue?), I would definitely come here.

If Belle from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ lived in Maryland, she would be reading and singing every day at George Peabody library.
I first saw the pictures of the gorgeous interior and knew I wanted to go. It reminded me of some French buildings’ interior.
From my parents house in VA, this was 1 hour and 15 minutes to MD. But so worth the trip. One of my friends had done some internship camp at the George Peabody the year before and knew her way around. She was the perfect source of knowledge in her tour around the facility.
Before you go inside, the parking situation is bit tricky but there is a garage across the street for a flat rate.
Once you go inside, you will be amazed by the sheer beauty of the open columns, brass rows in which the books are on, high ceilings etc. The collection of books they have is a impressive one with many religion books, history (my fav), and other subjects. This library is now owned by John Hopkins University and they have done a great job in maintaining and renovating it without compromising the original beauty of the structure.
Try not to talk so loud because the voice echoes and there are actually people studying and working. I won’t lie to you though, I sort of squealed with excitement when I first walked in.
It’s the perfect place to study or read instead of going to a Barnes and Noble. It’s even the perfect place to get married, so unique and romantic. Furthermore, I found out it is a popular place to get married in MD.
It definitely is a ‘fine reading’ establishment for the intellectual beings. Be Belle (or Beast: did he read?) for a day, and read in this gorgeous library.

Spectacular!

Looks like a magical movie set library. The library is one of the most beautiful in the United States. Completed in 1878, it was designed by Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind in collaboration with the first Peabody provost, Nathaniel H. Morison, that described it as a «cathedral of books.» The neo-​Grec interior features an atrium that, over a black and white marble floor, soars 61 feet to a latticed skylight surrounded by five tiers of ornamental cast-​iron balconies and gold-​scalloped columns. Between July 2002 and May 2004, the library underwent a $ 1 million renovation and was refurbished.

WOW! Did they film parts of Harry Potter in here? Every now and then when I’m on foot in the area I pop me head into the Peabody library and just stand there. I don’t even peruse for books but just stand in awe.
Within 5 minutes I’m at peace. There is a mixture of amazement in the human ability and a feeling of my own total insignificance in this world.
And then I slide myself back out into Baltimore.

Inside this historical monument, you’ll find eight original John Audubon books along with books on Egyptology that won’t be found in the Library of Congress. It’s quite amazing that I did live in Baltimore for college and I never set foot in this building. I was a bit skeptical on a wedding reception at the library, but having been on the top floor of the Harold Washington Library, I knew the trappings would be monumental and the proportions epic.
The post wedding ceremony cocktail reception was held in a large high ceilinged room with art from ages past encased in glass. The windows were high and the scene was amazing, it was a cocktail reception in the museum part of the library! Totally cool, there were servers making cocktails, people signing the wedding book, and black coats, suits, and everyone in their finest wardrobe. The servers were congenial and the atmosphere was fantastic.
As we entered the banquet hall, it was actually the main part of the library. Enter this room and you will look up to six stories of bookshelves going level by level up and amazing lighting. Some of the more historical books were locked in glass cases as a mere touch would likely render the book to specks of dust. On all of the tables were an amazing floral arrangement that was over two feet high with giant vases.
The servers this round moved methodically with surgical precision to deliver wine and food. The food was of course fantastic and the DJ had no trouble setting up and the audio fine. We were never rushed and when the reception was over we were given plenty of time to pack up and put everything away. When I have a wedding one day, I hope to be able to secure a venue as grandiose and spectacular as George Peabody Library!

Stunning. This is one of the most beautiful venues for a wedding that I have ever seen. Located in Mount Vernon outside the Washington Monument, the George Peabody Library is (as Bradley N said) an architectural wonder in Neo-​Grec style. The height of the stack room, lined with cast-​iron balconies and embellished with gold-​leaf, is awe-​inspiring. The black and white marbled floor below, the skylight above, and the six tiers of decorative railings makes for a very sophisticated, yet intimate space to celebrate a beautiful occasion. I took several photos, but I could not fully capture the beauty of the room.
The wedding ceremony took place in the stack room — minimal decoration, warm lighting, and rows of iron chairs lined the room, complementing the overall symmetry of the space. An hors d’oeuvres hour took place in the exhibition room, just outside the stack room. This space had historical pieces in glass cases and was set up with 2 bar areas. The doors were opened for dinner in the main stack room. The caterers (I belief Chef Expressions — approved for the Peabody) were wonderful and the round tables were set beautifully. The servers were attentive and professional. Dinner was excellent. They also made space at the back of the room for a dance floor and DJ.
The library itself also houses space for musical and theatrical productions. There is parking on the street, and you are able to hire valet service for your event. I am not sure of the costs for this venue, or how easy/​difficult they are to work with, but they seem to be flexible for any number of guests. Overall, the George Peabody Library is elegant, and perfect for any celebration.

Reading a recent spiral staircase review by Manabu M. inspired me to Unilocal one of Charm City’s amazing man-​made architectural wonders: the George Peabody Library in Mount Vernon, located near to the Washington Monument (which must be covered in Christmas lights by now).
Technically part of the Johns Hopkins University, the GPL is a living landmark that has been featured in films (like «Sleepless in Seattle»), on TV ads, and is a popular venue for weddings and special events. If you come to use the reading room here (they have rare books and the like), you can ask to look inside the stacks: a six-​story, towering set of book shelves decked out in wrought-​iron, late Victorian splendor with a gorgeous glass skylight awaits. The B&W checked marble floor only adds to the sublime and silent spectacle. This would be an amazing place to party with some of the world’s best books. While the photos by people like Michael Dersin ARE impressive, two dimensions are not enough to do justice to this rare feat of cube-​shaped perfection. It’s worth a trip to Mount Vernon just to see and experience it for yourself. And if you are there, the surrounding neighborhood has its share of diversions and good eats as well!