The architecturally minded will be interested in the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library. Designed by Carl Gould in 1926, this bibliophile’s dream was inspired by Henry Suzzallo, UW’s president at the time. Suzzallo wanted it to look like a cathedral, because ‘the library is the soul of the university.' Unfortunately for him, his bosses disagreed; on reviewing the building, they deemed it too expensive and fired Suzzallo for his extravagance.
However, the dream was partially realized in the grand neo-Gothic entrance lobby and the truly beguiling reading room with its massive cathedral-like windows that, on fine days, cast filtered sunlight onto the long reading pews. Hours change with the school year, so it's best to check ahead before visiting if you're interested in peeking inside.
