Food & a break
The City Hall and Jeong-dong area has cafés and meal stops outside the library; keep refreshments to permitted areas.
Remarkable libraries · SEOUL
Seoul Metropolitan Library
Visit a working library in Seoul’s former City Hall building. Its historic façade beside the newer glass City Hall makes this a rewarding stop for visitors interested in civic architecture.
- Allow
- 45–90 minutes
- Arrival
- City Hall · Lines 1 & 2
What to see
- The former City Hall façade facing Seoul Plaza
- Public reading spaces within a historic civic building
- Nearby Deoksugung for a separate heritage visit
How to get there
Use City Hall Station on Lines 1 or 2 and follow signs towards Seoul Plaza and Seoul Metropolitan Library at 110 Sejong-daero. The library is the older building, not simply any entrance into the modern City Hall.
A practical walking order
Suggested route and time allowance; check live transport and venue notices for your visit.
- 1
Start at Seoul Plaza
Compare the old library façade with the modern City Hall behind it.
- 2
Check the visitor entrance
Read opening and closure notices before entering. Ask staff which public rooms are available.
- 3
Explore quietly
Treat reading rooms as study spaces. Follow photography signs and avoid photographing readers closely.
- 4
Continue to Deoksugung
Walk to the palace area for an optional separate visit, or return via City Hall Station.
Before you go
Opening hours, closure days and room access vary. Check the library website for your visit date; do not assume roof or exhibition access is always available.
Check the official notice →Continue exploring
Editorial guide reviewed 20 September 2026. Photographs may show earlier dates or seasonal displays.