Valby Library
At Valby Library, you will find everything from quiet reading areas and lively children's areas to colourful gable art and the very special swap island, which attracts curious souls. Whether you are a local or a tourist looking for authentic experiences, the area around the library is a place worth visiting.
In the heart of Valby lies Valby Library, tucked away in an old riding school from 1722, but filled with Wi-Fi, computers and books for all ages. Here you can settle down in the reading room with the day's newspapers, find a quiet place to study or browse through comics and films while the train passes by outside. The children's library is like a little voyage of discovery with play areas and exhibitions, where families and prams glide in and out all day long.
The library is also a miniature cultural centre, with author evenings, children's theatre, reading clubs and current exhibitions that reflect life in the neighbourhood. Even if you are just visiting Copenhagen for a short time, it is a great place to soak up the local atmosphere, get help with finding information and experience the library from the inside. Many international visitors use the place as a quiet base between sightseeing and café visits.
When you step outside again, you will find yourself in the small library garden and the swap island – an open swap station where anyone can leave useful items and take something else home with them. It is free, sustainable and entertaining to go treasure hunting among the books, clothes, toys and strange finds that locals have left behind. For tourists, it is a tangible souvenir from everyday Copenhagen and a way to get to know the neighbourhood.
If you look up at the gables of the library, you will see a colourful mural featuring figures by local artist and author Gunnar Wille, filled with the spirit of Valby and his well-known characters. It feels like a small fairy-tale universe guarding the entrance to Valby, and together the library, gable art and the swap island (at Annexstræde) make this one of the most charming stops on a tour of the city.