Salt Lake City Public Library

Opened in 2003, the Salt Lake Public Library Main Building is a landmark of design in the city. Created by the celebrated architect Moshe Safdie, it has a total of 22,300 square metres of floor space across six storeys. A beautiful wall of glass corridors cuts through a library packed with over 500,000 different volumes.

Enjoy a novel in the Urban Room, which has the added bonus of commanding an excellent view over the city and the mountains. There are also specific areas for literacy and language, daily newspapers, magazines and other periodicals.

As is befitting of a building of such splendour and light, the interiors have been given plenty of attention. Fine art abounds with numerous paintings and sculptures adorning the rooms. The rooftop garden is a great place to clear your head when you've been reading for a long time, while the spiralling chimney rises through four floors, forming the striking image of a central column of fire.

The Children's Library is a big favourite with young people and their parents. It has lots of games and books, and plenty of natural light. Unsurprisingly, it's particularly busy on wet days. Teenagers are also specifically catered for in the Canteena section.

The old-fashioned warmth and charm of Grandmother's Attic is a favourite place to while away an afternoon in a quiet corner. Another popular spot is Crystal Cave, where a waterfall cascades down the walls during the summer months.

Regular events are held in the library such as author talks, regional art exhibitions (and sometimes ones from further afield), and workshops – check out the website while you're in town. There is a café on the first floor for when you need some refreshments.

Salt Lake Public Library Main Building is open to all and there is no charge for entry. It is open daily and on certain weekday evenings. The building has an underground car park which is free of charge for the first 30 minutes, however a small charge is applied every 30 minutes thereafter.