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State Central Library, Cubbon Park, Bengaluru
The State Central Library is housed in Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, the red colonial building of 1915 in the middle of Cubbon Park, fronted by a rose garden. Travel guides list entry as free. It is closed on Mondays, the second Tuesday of each month and government holidays, and open on Sundays; reading-room hours are given as roughly 8 am to 8 pm.
One of India's oldest public libraries, founded in 1915. Located near Cubbon Park in a beautiful red brick colonial building. Inside: silence, high ceilings, and an atmosphere that makes you want to linger. Even if you're not planning to read, visit to feel old Bengaluru's spirit.
Tickets
State Central Library timings
Sources give two slightly different sets of hours:
- Karnataka Tourism: 8 am to 8 pm, and Sunday is a full reading day.
- Press reports (The News Minute): 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, the figure in the India GO database.
Both agree on the closed days: Mondays, the second Tuesday of every month and government holidays. Plan for the narrower window, 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, and you will not be caught out.
The library is a reading library first, and it is busy with students; inside, keep your voice down.
The building: Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall
The hall was built in 1915 in honour of Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, Dewan (chief minister) of Mysore State from 1883 to 1901. It is a red building with gables, in a classical European style with Tuscan and Corinthian columns, set in the middle of Cubbon Park behind its rose garden.
Inside: silence and high ceilings. The library is the apex of Karnataka's public library system and has a braille section; Wikipedia gives its collection as 265,000 books, while a newer report in The News Minute says more than 300,000; in 2000 it received the Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation award for the best state central library in India.
Is it inside Cubbon Park? How to get there
Yes: the library stands inside Cubbon Park, in central Bengaluru. The nearest metro station is Cubbon Park on the Purple Line, about 450 m from the park according to Karnataka Tourism; from there follow the paths to the red building with the rose garden. The park also has entrances from MG Road, Kasturba Road, Hudson Circle and Ambedkar Veedhi.
The park's other sights are close by: the Government Museum and the Venkatappa Art Gallery on the Kasturba Road side, and Attara Kacheri, the High Court, at the park's edge.
❓ FAQ
Is there an entry fee for State Central Library in Bangalore?
No fee is listed; travel guides describe entry as free.
Is State Central Library inside Cubbon Park?
Yes. Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, which houses the library, stands in the middle of Cubbon Park behind a rose garden.
What are the State Central Library timings?
About 8 am to 8 pm according to Karnataka Tourism (press reports give 8:30 am to 7:30 pm). Closed on Mondays, second Tuesdays and government holidays; open on Sundays.
Can we study in the Cubbon Park library?
It is a public reading library and students use its reading rooms. Keep quiet inside.
When was the State Central Library built?
The building, Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, dates from 1915.