London Arts Base

The red brick structure on Herne Hill Road features Tudor-style windows, Corinthian columns, and a glass dome that allows natural light inside the building.

Andrew Carnegie provided £12,500 in 1902 to construct this library, which opened its doors to the public on July 9, 1906 as part of his global library initiative.

The building transformed from a traditional lending library into an arts center, maintaining its role as a neighborhood educational and cultural gathering space.

The facility includes multiple reading rooms, a lecture hall, and community spaces that serve local residents through various educational and artistic programs.

The library introduced an open access system that allowed visitors to browse shelves directly instead of requesting books from librarians, changing standard library practices.

Location: London Borough of Lambeth

Inception: 1906

Address: The Carnegie Library, Herne Hill Rd, Herne Hill, London SE24 0AG

Website: https://lambeth.gov.uk/places/carnegie-library

GPS coordinates: 51.46069,-0.09651

Latest update: March 8, 2025 09:37