James J Hill Center

The Reading Room is an excellent space for an intimate wedding. There were about 150 guests and the ceremony took place in the front of the room, with elegant tables behind for the plated dinner reception. Waitstaff circulated with hors d'oeuvres as we waited in the receiving line, keeping everyone engaged. I loved the library theme, from the Save The Date library book cards to the tables identified by famous authors. We were seated at Dickens, our dinner preferences printed out on beautiful bookmarks. The three-story ceilings are reached by massive bookshelves with upstairs hallways for reaching those high books. The flowers were gorgeous and organic and the catered food was delicious from salad to dessert. It's not an inexpensive venue, but it is warm and intimate once you get here. We ran into detours, slow trains, and closed roads so we had our Uber let us out about a 1/4 mile away because we were about to be late. We literally made it in as the ceremony started. Road construction, closed roads, detours, and slow freight trains don't show up on your travel map!

A stunning interior historic space and building. If I were doing research here, I think I'd find it very enjoyable. Using it as a meeting space wasn't the greatest, since the speakers had power point presentations with lots of writing, and because the seating had to be deep and narrow, it was hard for those in the back. Sound also was splotchy, and the bathrooms are small and at the front, so you have to walk in front of everyone to reach them. As a stop to see something beautiful--it's a must if you're in this city.

This place is ancient! And did I mention, it's really pretty! I like how vintage it looks and would love to do a photography session here but everything is literally off limits. Can't climb the stairs, can't touch books, etc. I get it though, they're trying to preserve the books and all the books. The librarian lady was really welcoming and help my business partners and I with our research. We found a ton of information and spent our entire day there. The one thing that I wasn't really fond of is parking. Parking sucks big time but there is a ramp and for xyz hours, you can park for some change. I only wish hours were better so I can go after work instead of taking PTO to visit this place. Would still highly recommend it! Go early and stay long, you won't regret it!

As other reviews have mentioned the space is gorgeous. Even after living in Minnesota for most of my life I never ventured to visit this library but I am so happy for my friends who decided to get married here. There were only 3 stalls for the women's washroom, maybe there were other restrooms but these were closest to the dance floor. The dance floor wasn't that big but not everyone wanted to dance so it worked out. I noticed the DJ from Midwest Sound had a Numark DJ Controller so it looks like the venue allows flexibility in music choices. For some reason they never refilled our waters when the pitcher was exhausted. Not sure if that had to do with the caterers or the wait staff for the night. There was an open bar and a huge bowl of punch though so maybe that was why. Overall I had a good time. So glad to have been a part of their very special day.

This might be my very favorite place in St. Paul. Alex and I stopped in randomly a few weekends ago (for a palate cleanser after an event rightfully named BRO FEST), and I fell completely head over heels. It's a library, yes, but it's also probably the closest I've felt toward feeling religious in a long time. The ceilings are high, the design is Scandinavian, the chairs are begging to be curled up in to read the Sunday newspaper, and the sense of calm and serenity there is like no other. The staff is incredibly helpful and eager to help you find anything you're looking for, but I got the most pleasure out of sitting in one of the overstuffed armchairs, looking around, and just BEING.

My friend had her wedding here on Friday and I have to say the library is a great space for a fancy event. Located in the middle of downtown St. Paul, it had a smidge of Harry Potter mixed with Downton Abbey feel. The staff we worked with was great and accomodating. There was a strict schedule to follow in order for everything to go smoothly and they were great in executing that.We had a rehearsal the day before so that all of the bridal party knew what they were doing. They provided rooms for the boys and girls to get ready before the wedding. My friend brought in all of her decor for the tables. They had quite a few long wooden tables in the middle and everything was surrounded by levels and levels of old books. It was great for pictures, too. Tons of places to shoot inside and outside.I'm pretty sure the only parking was garage space a few blocks away. This worked out fine and we were provided vouchers on the day of.A great space with high ceilings and a lot of potential for event planning.

This is the perfect place to check out to get your local st.paul history fix. You get to see the Hill family's living quarteres as well as the servent's down below. The architecture is spectacular!I heard you can check out the "nooks and crannies" tour to get the full effect.

The event I went to was a double book launch for Twin Cities Irish Ambassadors, Erin Hart and Paddy O' Brien. As you walk in there are plenty of coat racks out. It is beautiful inside as well as the view outside, and the outer stairs aren't too steep. The St. Paul plowing doesn't allow for the best parking, so you are forced to pay for event parking, no matter. It's not the fault of the building, but you have to work to get there. The bathroom is right off the main room, of course that's a big deal for me. I'm more the mansion than library type.

Such a beautiful space to hold an event. Though I've never actually been here for the reason it was built a century ago, I have been to a few events here such as the event the friends of the St Paul Library puts on "Loud at the Library" fundraiser where they host music trivia and one of the area's local "up and coming" bands (i.e. Rougue Valley, Grey Coats etc.) all in the name of keeping up the library system. This is one of the grand old architechturally significant buildings St. Paul has to offer and stands as a monument to the old "Empire Builder" himself. I believe they give tours during the week.

Two years ago I traveled from New York to St. Paul in order to research primary resources at the James J. Hill Center and other archival organizations for a book I am writing. The staff was very accommodating and the reference librarian was extraordinarily helpful. The Center is a comfortable place to work and as a seasoned New Yorker, I felt fine using the ladies room without securing my laptop or taking my purse. It felt that much like working in my home office. Regrettably, the Center had to close as of July 3, 2019 due to budget challenges. I only hope they garner enough support to reopen. It is truly a research gem. P.S.: for the reviewer who complained about the difficulty of viewing power point slides in the space, the presenters failed to follow the first rule of PP presentation:" Less is more" - PP works best when bullet points, or a graphic is displayed on each slide while the presenter delivers a full presentation, either directly or by synchronized voice-over, for each slide.