Upcoming Exhibition

The Library

The Library explores how libraries are designed—and why they matter to everyday life. From ancient places like the Library of Ashurbanipal and the Library of Alexandria to global centers of learning such as Nalanda and Timbuktu, the exhibition shows how libraries began as places of power and protection, and slowly became spaces meant to serve communities. Across cultures and centuries, libraries reveal what societies choose to save, share, and pass on.

As libraries became public, their role expanded. Buildings like the Carnegie libraries, the New York Public Library, and contemporary spaces such as the Calgary Central Library and the Beijing Library show how design shapes who feels welcome and how people use knowledge. Over time, libraries have grown beyond books to include tools, technology, media, and gathering spaces—places to learn new skills, meet neighbors, and participate in civic life.

The exhibition also examines Atlanta’s library story, where segregation, activism, and bold architectural choices have shaped access to knowledge. From the Auburn Avenue Carnegie Library to Marcel Breuer’s striking Central Library, Atlanta’s libraries show how even challenging or contested buildings can stand for big ideas about public access and shared opportunity. Curated by MODA, The Library invites visitors to rethink what a library is—and what it can be—for all of us.