Millennium Library, Winnipeg

Located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg on Donald Street, the Millennium Library is the city’s central hub for readers, researchers, and anyone looking for a quiet corner to think. Formerly known as the Centennial Library (from 1977 to 2005), it was reimagined and reopened as the Millennium Library in November 2005 after a major reconstruction led by Patkau Architects and LM Architectural Group.

Spanning four stories and 17,600 square meters (189,000 square feet), the library sees around 5,000 visitors a day, offering far more than just books. It houses an impressive Local History Room, a grand staircase, eye-catching public art installations (both inside and around the building), and information displays. For those on the go, there’s a cozy coffee stop and the Best of Friends Gift Shop, perfect for picking up literary-themed goodies.

As the flagship branch of the Winnipeg Public Library system, Millennium Library provides a vast range of materials for loan - from adult and children’s books (fiction and non-fiction), graphic novels, magazines, and braille books for children, to music scores, audiobooks, video games, and movies on DVD and Blu-ray. Multilingual readers will appreciate the collection that includes books in over 30 different languages, alongside resources for ESL learners and adult literacy.

The building is also seamlessly connected to the Winnipeg Walkway system, making it easily accessible year-round. On the northwest corner, a commemorative plaque highlights the city’s library heritage, referencing Winnipeg’s earlier Carnegie Library and marking the original opening of the Centennial Library during Winnipeg’s centennial celebrations in 1977.

From concerts and lectures to computer workshops and family-friendly programs, Millennium Library continues to serve as both a cultural cornerstone and a dynamic community space - where past and future meet in the pages of a good book.