Calgary is home to one of North America’s largest library systems, and the city now boasts an architectural masterpiece as the system’s central hub. The downtown complex, designed by the Norwegian firm Snohetta, is flooded with natural light and features several aesthetic odes to its native land: walls made of cedar from nearby British Columbia, a curved facade meant to evoke cloud arches formed by the region’s Chinook winds. Of course, the library also houses an extensive collection of books—over 450,000. But it’s embracing its role as a broader educational center as well, offering learning labs, residency programs and even a digital production studio built for podcasters and YouTubers. —Wilder Davies
Greatest Places
Full List
To Visit
Geosea Geothermal Sea BathsCamp AdventureMori Building Digital Art MuseumStar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at DisneylandSFER IKMata Ki Te Rangi International Dark Sky SanctuaryMuseum of Black CivilizationsCentral LibraryNational Kaohsiung Center for the ArtsChillida LekuHelsinki Central Library OodiThe Gathering PlaceZakouma National ParkPohoiki in Isaac Hale Beach ParkVAC LibraryFábrica de Arte CubanoHearst CastleTeatro GalliQuranic ParkZealandiaGorongosa National ParkThe ShedLiechtenstein TrailRed Sea Mountain TrailXiqu CentreNewseumV&A DundeeSoundWavesNational Comedy CenterThe National Museum of QatarStatue of UnityTranscaucasian TrailTroy MuseumRuby CityMuzeum SuschCanada's WonderlandUluru-Kata Tjuta National ParkTo Stay
Six Senses BhutanSALT of Palmar HotelTWA HotelCelebrity EdgeKachi LodgeAutoCampLeopard HillSacromonteBlackberry MountainCastello di Santa SeveraOmaanda25Hours Hotel Terminus NordInterContinental Shanghai WonderlandThe JaffaNorwegian JoyDogHouse Hotel And BreweryHyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla ResortEmpathy SuiteEaton DCCamp GlenorchyHotel Peter & PaulHouse of SandemanThe Other PlaceAmerikalinjenGuntuLekkerwater Beach LodgeWoodlarkMuji Hotel GinzaAmaMagnaUniversity Arms CambridgeRosewoodThe Datai LangkawiFasano SalvadorEcoventura TheoryShinta Mani WildAmerican SongSoho House MumbaiDiscovery Rottnest IslandHaneda Excel Hotel TokyuFinca VictoriaAzerai La Residence HueFour Seasons Astir Palace Hotel AthensArts District Firehouse HotelSeabourn OvationTo Visit
To Stay
To Eat & Drink
Full List
To Visit
Geosea Geothermal Sea BathsCamp AdventureMori Building Digital Art MuseumStar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at DisneylandSFER IKMata Ki Te Rangi International Dark Sky SanctuaryMuseum of Black CivilizationsCentral LibraryNational Kaohsiung Center for the ArtsChillida LekuHelsinki Central Library OodiThe Gathering PlaceZakouma National ParkPohoiki in Isaac Hale Beach ParkVAC LibraryFábrica de Arte CubanoHearst CastleTeatro GalliQuranic ParkZealandiaGorongosa National ParkThe ShedLiechtenstein TrailRed Sea Mountain TrailXiqu CentreNewseumV&A DundeeSoundWavesNational Comedy CenterThe National Museum of QatarStatue of UnityTranscaucasian TrailTroy MuseumRuby CityMuzeum SuschCanada's WonderlandUluru-Kata Tjuta National ParkTo Stay
Six Senses BhutanSALT of Palmar HotelTWA HotelCelebrity EdgeKachi LodgeAutoCampLeopard HillSacromonteBlackberry MountainCastello di Santa SeveraOmaanda25Hours Hotel Terminus NordInterContinental Shanghai WonderlandThe JaffaNorwegian JoyDogHouse Hotel And BreweryHyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla ResortEmpathy SuiteEaton DCCamp GlenorchyHotel Peter & PaulHouse of SandemanThe Other PlaceAmerikalinjenGuntuLekkerwater Beach LodgeWoodlarkMuji Hotel GinzaAmaMagnaUniversity Arms CambridgeRosewoodThe Datai LangkawiFasano SalvadorEcoventura TheoryShinta Mani WildAmerican SongSoho House MumbaiDiscovery Rottnest IslandHaneda Excel Hotel TokyuFinca VictoriaAzerai La Residence HueFour Seasons Astir Palace Hotel AthensArts District Firehouse HotelSeabourn OvationGreatest Places
Full List
To Visit
Geosea Geothermal Sea BathsCamp AdventureMori Building Digital Art MuseumStar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at DisneylandSFER IKMata Ki Te Rangi International Dark Sky SanctuaryMuseum of Black CivilizationsCentral LibraryNational Kaohsiung Center for the ArtsChillida LekuHelsinki Central Library OodiThe Gathering PlaceZakouma National ParkPohoiki in Isaac Hale Beach ParkVAC LibraryFábrica de Arte CubanoHearst CastleTeatro GalliQuranic ParkZealandiaGorongosa National ParkThe ShedLiechtenstein TrailRed Sea Mountain TrailXiqu CentreNewseumV&A DundeeSoundWavesNational Comedy CenterThe National Museum of QatarStatue of UnityTranscaucasian TrailTroy MuseumRuby CityMuzeum SuschCanada's WonderlandUluru-Kata Tjuta National ParkTo Stay
Six Senses BhutanSALT of Palmar HotelTWA HotelCelebrity EdgeKachi LodgeAutoCampLeopard HillSacromonteBlackberry MountainCastello di Santa SeveraOmaanda25Hours Hotel Terminus NordInterContinental Shanghai WonderlandThe JaffaNorwegian JoyDogHouse Hotel And BreweryHyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla ResortEmpathy SuiteEaton DCCamp GlenorchyHotel Peter & PaulHouse of SandemanThe Other PlaceAmerikalinjenGuntuLekkerwater Beach LodgeWoodlarkMuji Hotel GinzaAmaMagnaUniversity Arms CambridgeRosewoodThe Datai LangkawiFasano SalvadorEcoventura TheoryShinta Mani WildAmerican SongSoho House MumbaiDiscovery Rottnest IslandHaneda Excel Hotel TokyuFinca VictoriaAzerai La Residence HueFour Seasons Astir Palace Hotel AthensArts District Firehouse HotelSeabourn OvationTo Visit
To Stay
To Eat & Drink
Full List
To Visit
Geosea Geothermal Sea BathsCamp AdventureMori Building Digital Art MuseumStar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at DisneylandSFER IKMata Ki Te Rangi International Dark Sky SanctuaryMuseum of Black CivilizationsCentral LibraryNational Kaohsiung Center for the ArtsChillida LekuHelsinki Central Library OodiThe Gathering PlaceZakouma National ParkPohoiki in Isaac Hale Beach ParkVAC LibraryFábrica de Arte CubanoHearst CastleTeatro GalliQuranic ParkZealandiaGorongosa National ParkThe ShedLiechtenstein TrailRed Sea Mountain TrailXiqu CentreNewseumV&A DundeeSoundWavesNational Comedy CenterThe National Museum of QatarStatue of UnityTranscaucasian TrailTroy MuseumRuby CityMuzeum SuschCanada's WonderlandUluru-Kata Tjuta National ParkTo Stay
Six Senses BhutanSALT of Palmar HotelTWA HotelCelebrity EdgeKachi LodgeAutoCampLeopard HillSacromonteBlackberry MountainCastello di Santa SeveraOmaanda25Hours Hotel Terminus NordInterContinental Shanghai WonderlandThe JaffaNorwegian JoyDogHouse Hotel And BreweryHyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla ResortEmpathy SuiteEaton DCCamp GlenorchyHotel Peter & PaulHouse of SandemanThe Other PlaceAmerikalinjenGuntuLekkerwater Beach LodgeWoodlarkMuji Hotel GinzaAmaMagnaUniversity Arms CambridgeRosewoodThe Datai LangkawiFasano SalvadorEcoventura TheoryShinta Mani WildAmerican SongSoho House MumbaiDiscovery Rottnest IslandHaneda Excel Hotel TokyuFinca VictoriaAzerai La Residence HueFour Seasons Astir Palace Hotel AthensArts District Firehouse HotelSeabourn OvationTIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.