Central Library
Also known as Milwaukee Public Library and Museum
About Central Library
Central Library, at 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Dec 30, 1974. The Register lists it for its architecture, at the state level. It describes its style as Neo-Renaissance, as it does for 2 other Wisconsin listings. The listing covers 3.6 acres. Eight more Register listings are within a quarter mile.
What it isHeadquarters for the Milwaukee Public Library System, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 27 MB · National Archives↗1895 to today
- 1895Built
- 1974Added to the National Register of Historic Places
- 2026On the Register for 52 years
Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 10 minutes
814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee · about 0.3 miles on foot, as the crow flies
- 1Central LibraryStart here
- 2
Alexander Mitchell HouseSecond Empire · next door - 3
Calvary Presbyterian ChurchVictorian Gothic · Built 1870 · 0.1 mi on - 4
St. James Episcopal ChurchGothic Revival · Built 1867 · next door - 5
Saint James Court ApartmentsLate 19th and 20th Century Revivals · Built 1903 · next door
18 more Register listings within half a mile
★ National Historic Landmark · D district · B building · S site. Each opens its own page.
Neo-Renaissance style, nearby
Other National Register listings within 25 miles described as Neo-Renaissance.
Memories of Central Library
The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Questions about Central Library
Is Central Library on the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes. It was added on Dec 30, 1974 (Register number 74000101).
Is Central Library a National Historic Landmark?
No. It is on the National Register; Wisconsin has 43 National Historic Landmarks. The nearest is Pabst Theater, 0.4 miles away.
Can you visit Central Library?
It has its own website, the place to check whether and when it is open to visitors.
Where can I read the history of Central Library?
In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 27 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.
Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 106781601 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.