11 Sep 2025

Heritage Open Days – Jesmond Library

Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne historic photograph of circular building 3x2

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture and is taking place between the 12th - 21st September.

The event offers free access to thousands of heritage sites and activities across the country, and Jesmond Library is one of the buildings being celebrated this year. Completed in 1963, the Grade II listed library was FaulknerBrowns’ first commission.

The upcoming exhibition, ‘Jesmond Library: An Architectural Legacy on Display’, held within the library itself, promises to offer unique insight into the design and history of the building, with architect Harry Faulkner-Brown’s original drawings on display, alongside our loaned 1:50 scale model representing the original design.

Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne physical wooden model of circular library on display 3x2

In addition to the exhibition, on 20th September, a talk: ‘Past, Present and Future: The Story of Jesmond Library’ is being hosted by Despoina Papadopoulou, Architect Adviser, MAZi Architects and Chris Clarke, Trustee, Friends of Jesmond Library. Despoina and Chris will be tracing the library’s journey from its visionary design in the 1960s to its transformation into today’s thriving community-run space, exploring rare archive findings whilst also looking into what the future may look like for this much-loved public space.

We look forward to seeing the library’s architectural legacy shared and celebrated over the coming weeks.

Find out more information about Heritage Open Days events and schedule.