12 Incredible Destination Libraries Around Seattle and Beyond
![University Place Branch, Pierce County Library System](/sites/default/files/styles/1180x660_scaled_cropped/public/2019-05/University%20Place%20Library.jpg?itok=Cn4BBZCL)
12. University Place Branch, Pierce County Library System
Find it: 3609 Market Place W., Suite 100, University Place
Opened in 2011, this LEED Silver-certified library is spacious and modern, with large windows to allow in natural light. In addition to the kids’ play area, there’s a teen zone, a video-editing station, and a job and business center where parents can brush up their résumés while the kids are exploring.
Day trip: Head to nearby Chambers Creek Regional Park. It has 2 miles of shoreline, winding trails and the exceptional Playground by the Sound, with sweeping views of the water and mountains.
Editor’s note: Elisa Murray contributed to this article, which was originally published several years ago and was updated most recently in 2023.