OBA Oosterdok, the central branch of the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (Amsterdam Public Library), fills a large building on Oosterdokseiland, Oosterdokskade 143, a 5 to 10-minute walk from Centraal Station. It is the largest library in the Netherlands, and entry is free for everyone, no library card needed. On the 7th floor, the Babel restaurant and its terrace look out over the Oosterdok and the rooftops of the old centre: one of the easiest views in the city to reach, with no ticket. Designed by architect Jo Coenen, the building opened on 7 July 2007. Open Monday to Friday from 8am to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm, it is also a handy stop for a warm, quiet break, with free toilets.
Highlights
The view from the 7th floor
From the south-facing terrace on the top floor, you look down on the Oosterdok, its moored boats and the floating Chinese restaurant Sea Palace, then across the rooftops and church towers of the historic centre. The green building of the NEMO Science Museum rises to the east. A canopy and a concrete pillar block part of the sky and the view to the west, but access is free, with no need to order anything.
The interior architecture
Jo Coenen, who also designed much of the interior, created a vast open space, freely accessible from the ground floor up to the 7th, that you explore by escalator. Curved bookcases, galleries and large windows over the water reveal themselves as you climb from floor to floor. In 2008 the building won its architect an International Architecture Award.
The building on the Oosterdok
Seen from the quay, the block of pale stone and large windows dominates the Oosterdokskade, next to the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. The quay along the Oosterdok leads on foot to NEMO and the Maritime Museum, on the other side of the basin.
Babel restaurant
On the 7th floor, Babel combines a bar, a food court and an open kitchen: coffee, salads, bread specialities, stone-oven pizzas and wood-fired grill dishes. Its ceiling shows, on glass panels, the languages spoken in Amsterdam, a nod to the Tower of Babel. Open Monday to Friday from 10am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm.
IHLIA LGBTI Heritage
On the 3rd floor, on the IHLIA Plaza, the LGBTI archive and documentation centre shows exhibitions and part of its book collection, free and open to all during library hours. A stop to pair with our Amsterdam LGBT guide.
Toilets and services
The toilets are free: on the ground floor (via the stairs near the front desk) and on the 6th and 7th floors, and every floor has a wheelchair-accessible toilet; the children's floor has toilets for kids. The building is wheelchair accessible, with lifts. Find more addresses in our guide to toilets in Amsterdam.
Infos pratiques
Tips
To reach the 7th floor, take the escalators or the lift to the 6th, then the stairs or another lift. The outdoor terrace is normally closed in winter, from November to March. The library is a place for work and study: keep your voice down in the reading areas. For more viewpoints over the city, see our selection of the best views of Amsterdam.
How to get there
Oosterdokskade 143, 1011 DL Amsterdam, on Oosterdokseiland. From Centraal Station, take the city-centre exit, turn left heading east and follow the signs for Oosterdok, past the DoubleTree hotel, then walk along the quay: 5 to 10 minutes on foot. The Parking Centrum Oosterdok garage, under the island, is open 24 hours a day.
Opening hours
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