Days Out NI
Theatre & gallery Belfast

Linen Hall Library

Belfast's oldest library: free to walk in, with exhibitions and a folklore-themed cafe

5 photos
Check what’s onMon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm (Sat and Sun closed…
TicketedBook ahead
BelfastTheatre & gallery
Get directionsOfficial website
1-2 hoursHow long
TicketedAdmission
Older children,…Best for
On siteCafé
On siteParking

Linen Hall Library — Belfast's oldest library: free to walk in, with exhibitions and a folklore-themed cafe.

  • Admission: Free to enter; suggested donation £3.
  • Tickets: No ticket needed to visit; some talks, classes or events may be bookable - check their listings.
  • For families: Year-round talks, readings, classes and exhibitions; a children's collection sits alongside the adult shelves - check listings for family events.
  • Opening: Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm (Sat and Sun closed); closed on public holidays - check their listings.
  • Café: Linen Hall Cafe, Irish folklore theme, views over Donegall Square; open on library opening days - check their listings for cafe hours.
  • Best for: Older children, teens and adults who like books and history.
Plan your visit

A free look inside Belfast's oldest library

Walk in and you can explore the reading rooms and whatever exhibition is up at the time, from local history displays to art and archive material. The library holds an internationally known Irish and Local Studies collection, plus newspapers and printed books going back centuries, and it keeps a children's collection alongside the adult shelves. There's a charity bookshop selling quality used books at low prices, and a gift shop on Level 2 with Irish heritage items. The Linen Hall runs a year-round programme of talks, readings, classes and exhibitions, so it's worth checking their listings for what's on while you're planning. It's best for older children, teens and adults who like books, history and quiet spaces rather than little ones needing to run about.

Free entry Historic building Rotating exhibitions Folklore-themed cafe City centre Charity bookshop
Good to know before you go:

Libraries and arts venues like this run year-round seasons of exhibitions, talks, readings, classes and family events, with seasonal programming through the year. Check their own listings for dates, prices and any booking.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🎟️Your bookingShows and big exhibitions sell out — book ahead where you can.
  • 💷A bit of pocket moneyFor the café, the shop or a show programme.
  • 🧒An eye on the age guidanceSome shows and galleries suit certain ages best — check first.
  • 📱The what’s-on pageThe programme changes all the time — see what is on the day you go.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Admission
Free to enter; suggested donation £3
Tickets
No ticket needed to visit; some talks, classes or events may be bookable - check their listings
Family programming
Year-round talks, readings, classes and exhibitions; a children's collection sits alongside the adult shelves - check listings for family events
Best for ages
Older children, teens and adults who like books and history
Opening
Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm (Sat and Sun closed); closed on public holidays - check their listings
Cafe
Linen Hall Cafe, Irish folklore theme, views over Donegall Square; open on library opening days - check their listings for cafe hours
Toilets
Available on site
Parking
No on-site parking; nearby car parks include Montgomery Street, City Car Park, Library Street and Bankmore Street
Accessibility
Wheelchair access throughout, all floors by customer lift; use the Fountain Street entrance for the lift
How long to allow
1-2 hours, longer with the cafe and an exhibition
Address
17 Donegall Square North, Belfast, BT1 5GB
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Free to enter; suggested donation £3
How do I get tickets?
No ticket needed to visit; some talks, classes or events may be bookable - check their listings
Is there anything for kids?
Year-round talks, readings, classes and exhibitions; a children's collection sits alongside the adult shelves - check listings for family events
When is it open?
Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm (Sat and Sun closed); closed on public holidays - check their listings
Is there a café?
Linen Hall Cafe, Irish folklore theme, views over Donegall Square; open on library opening days - check their listings for cafe hours
Getting there

Linen Hall Library is at 17 Donegall Square North, Belfast, BT1 5GB. No on-site parking; nearby car parks include Montgomery Street, City Car Park, Library Street and Bankmore Street. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the venue

The Linen Hall began in 1788 when a group of Belfast artisans founded the Belfast Reading Society, which in 1792 became the Belfast Society for Promoting Knowledge - still its legal name today. In 1802 the library moved into the White Linen Hall, the building that gave it its name, on the site now occupied by Belfast City Hall, before settling into its present home on Donegall Square North.

It is the oldest library in Belfast and the last subscription library in Ireland, born out of the city's late-18th-century enlightenment and radical traditions. Throughout its history it has prized its independence, holding to the principle that its resources are owned by the community, for the community.

Today the Linen Hall is best known as the leading centre for Irish and Local Studies in Northern Ireland, with collections of early Belfast and Ulster books, periodicals and newspapers, archives and manuscripts, alongside its public exhibitions, events and cafe.