Sunny and sparkling clean, the Eastman Reading Garden is open!

Between the Main Building and the Louis Stokes Wing, the Eastman Reading Garden is the most beloved green space in downtown Cleveland. At its center is a waist-high fountain and reflecting pool of smooth charcoal granite, designed by Maya Lin who is best known for her Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Mark your calendars for May 28, 5:30 p.m. for an official opening party. Join the Library, the Friends, and Cleveland Public Art for an evening of refreshments and music (by Mifune) as we officially open the garden for the 2009 season.

Additionally, we are launching See Also, a new annual program that invites artists to create temporary art in the garden during the spring and summer months.

Click here for more information about Maya Lin.

Tired of orange construction barrels and sink holes? On May 1st grab your lunch and favorite book and head to Cleveland Public Library's Eastman Reading Garden. Perfect for both contemplative thought and social interaction, the Garden offers wireless access, comfortable seating, and a chance to experience the native flora and fauna of downtown Cleveland (feeding of pigeons prohibited, City Ord. 613.02 (b)).

The Eastman Reading Garden is dedicated in honor of Linda Anne Eastman (1867-1963), Director of the Cleveland Public Library from 1918-1938. The current garden was dedicated in 1998 after the construction of the Louis Stokes Wing. It contains public art by Maya Lin, Tom Otterness and poet Tan Lin. Pictures of the Garden throughout its history can be seen here.

Beginning May 1^st  the Eastman Reading Garden will be open to the public Mondays-Saturdays 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.