Barbados Central Public Library, Bridgetown

Barbados Central Public Library, Bridgetown

The Barbados Central Public Library, historically known as the Carnegie Free Library, has been a cornerstone of Bridgetown’s literary and cultural landscape for over a century. Constructed between 1903 and 1906 with funding from Scottish-American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the library stands on Coleridge Street in an elegant English Renaissance-style coral-stone building.

As the main branch of the National Library Service of Barbados, the library housed an extensive collection of Barbadiana, preserving Barbados' historical and literary heritage dating back to the 18th century. Beyond its role as a repository of knowledge, the library has served as an essential community space, offering print and non-print resources to both locals and visitors.

After a century of continuous service, the Carnegie Free Library closed in August 2006 for much-needed renovations. In the interim, its operations were relocated to Independence Square. The restoration of the original building has since become a priority project for the Preservation (Barbados) Foundation Trust, a non-profit initiative under the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture. The Trust, working alongside a National Heritage Task Force, is spearheading efforts to secure funding and ensure the library’s return to its historic home.

The National Library Service, which oversees this and seven other branches across the island, remains under the Prime Minister’s Office, ensuring continued public access to information and educational resources. Once fully restored, the Barbados Central Public Library is expected to reclaim its place as a beacon of literacy, history, and community engagement in Bridgetown.

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Barbados Central Public Library on Map

1
50 m
100 ft
Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors
Sight Name: Barbados Central Public Library
Sight Location: Bridgetown, Barbados (See walking tours in Bridgetown)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Bridgetown, Barbados

Create Your Own Walk in Bridgetown

Create Your Own Walk in Bridgetown

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bridgetown is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Garrison Historic Area Walking Tour

Garrison Historic Area Walking Tour

St. Ann's Garrison, more commonly known simply as "The Garrison", is a small district in Barbados situated some 2 miles south of Heroes Square in the capital-city of Bridgetown.

This historic area is dominated by a horse racetrack, located on the 30 acre parade ground called the Garrison Savannah. Here, in the mid 18th century, wealthy prominent Barbadians and regiment troops...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Bridgetown Introduction Walking Tour

Bridgetown Introduction Walking Tour

Bridgetown is the largest city on the island of Barbados. It was founded on the shores of Carlisle Bay, a cove on the southwest coast. The harbor is the natural location for ships to anchor, and Barbados is one of the first landfall points after crossing the Atlantic from Europe.

Originally, the island of Barbados was visited by various Amerindian tribes. Evidence has shown that permanent...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles