Explore: Beautiful Historic Library with Glass Floor in Muskegon

 
Explore: Beautiful Historic Library with Glass Floor in Muskegon
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 25, 2019)
Muskegon, MI – One of the most beautiful writing spots we know of is the Hackley Public Library at 316 West Webster in Muskegon.
The library, which opened in 1890, seems like a castle to kids and those with good imagination.  Inside there are grand features, as well as tiny details to be found.  Even the door handles in this place are special.
The main room has an almost church-like space, open to the second story ceiling with a bright towering ceiling and a giant stained glass homage with images of four men: Shakespeare, Goethe, Longfellow, and Prescott. Louis Millet’s stained glass art graces over 40 windows in the building, including the rosy-pathed stairway through the turret, and the elegantly accented panes that divide off some of the rooms.
Visitors can sit in a rich, warm, quiet study room with a fireplace and antique furniture, penning a novel (or reading one) at a vintage roll top desk, or hunkering down to one’s work laid out on a heavy wooden table tucked away in this den of learning and history.
One wing leads to the children’s area, where the walls reflect the spirit of imagination that libraries are there for – with characters for many kids to relate to included in the literature-themed murals.
And in another wing, the second floor – the floor itself – is made of glass.  Some squares are more frosty than others, and gaps along the shelves reveal the tops of heads below. Those first few steps, give some people’s hearts a flutter.  And there are even some people who just won’t go up there.  But obviously we recommend it.
The view looking out is enchanting as well.  Downtown Muskegon has an amazing mix of historic architecture and modern buildings.  Muskegon Lake is beautiful and Lake Michigan is just a few minutes from the city center. For more on the Muskegon area check out www.visitmuskegon.org.
Learn more about Hackley Library at www.hackleylibrary.org.
Check out places to Explore in Oakland County and beyond in the Oakland County Times Explore Index. 

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