Architectural Discovery of the Part-Dieu Library – Heritage Days 2026

Explore the iconic architecture of the Part-Dieu Municipal Library

On the occasion of the European Heritage Days 2026, there Part-Dieu municipal library opens its doors for a architectural discovery unique to this iconic building. Inaugurated in 1972 by Louis Pradel, this architectural ensemble is distinguished by its singular layout: a horizontal section welcoming the public on 5 floors, and an imposing, dark, vertical tower of 17 floors, nicknamed the «"silo"», which houses the storage facilities.

This tour will reveal the design secrets of this extraordinary space, conceived to combine functionality and aesthetics. You will understand why the vertical silo solution, with its 90 km of shelving and over 2.4 million documents, was the obvious choice for optimizing space and preserving the collections. You will also discover how the sun protection of the reading rooms, thanks to enormous sunshades, and the contrast between the light-colored facades and the dark tower contribute to the building's architectural identity.

A rare opportunity to get behind the scenes at this place of knowledge, where the stability of memory coexists with the vibrancy of intellectual research.

Practical information for the architectural tour

📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
⏰ Schedule: from 10:30 am to 12 pm
📍 Location: Part-Dieu Municipal Library, 30 boulevard Vivier Merle, 69003 Lyon
🎟️ Price: Free - Reservation required (via the Heritage Days website)

🚇 Public transport:
– Metro B: Station Part-Dieu
– Tram T1, T3: Stop Part-Dieu
– Bus C1, C2, C7: Stop Part-Dieu
– SNCF train station: Part-Dieu station
– Vélo'v: Station Cuirassiers (corner of rue Bouchut and Vivier Merle)

👥 Audience: Suitable for all audiences.

ℹ️ Other events at the same location (on the same day):
– A unique feature in old collections : Discovering the most unusual documents (smallest book, longest, most eccentric…)
– An iconic title in the Lyon press: Le Progrès de Lyon Presentation of the digitized collections (1859-1958)
– The book in all its forms: the bookbinding and restoration workshop Demonstration of document preservation skills

Don't miss this immersive experience in the heart of one of Lyon's most unique buildings, a blend of bold architecture and heritage treasures!