We found this library by chance, because we have local friends who knew about it, and proposed us to go here and visit it. It is true, that a lot of locals don’t know about this place.
Quick answer
- The library itself is free — it is a public library and you can use it as a reader.
- Seeing the Modernist interior and the Sherlock Holmes collection needs the guided visit, which is €19 and must be booked in advance.
- Passeig de Sant Joan 26, in the Eixample, close to the Arc de Triomf.
- The guided visit is run by Cases Singulars, not by the library directly.
- It holds the largest Sherlock Holmes collection in Spain, alongside an archive of the labour movement, Freemasonry and anarchism.
What Biblioteca Pública Arús actually is
A public library founded in 1895 by Rossend Arús i Arderiu — a writer, journalist and Freemason who left his own house and collection to the city. It opened to the public in 1895 and it has been a working library ever since.
What makes it unusual is what it collects. Alongside the general holdings it houses an archive of the labour movement, Freemasonry and anarchism in Catalonia, and Spain’s largest collection of material on Sherlock Holmes — a combination that exists almost nowhere else.
The building is a nineteenth-century Modernist interior that has barely been altered, which is why the guided visit exists at all.
Is it free? Yes and no — here’s the honest answer
As a public library, entry is free and you can consult the collection like any other reader.
But if you’re coming as a visitor — to see the reading room, the staircase, the interior and the Holmes collection — what you want is the guided visit, which costs €19 and has to be booked in advance. It’s organised by Cases Singulars, the company that runs visits to several of Barcelona’s less-accessible buildings, rather than by the library itself.
Groups of ten or more can arrange their own visit directly.
Price correct September 2026 — confirm when you book.
How to book the guided visit
- Book through Cases Singulars (casessingulars.com) or through Barcelona Turisme
- Library contact for groups: biblioteca.arus@bcn.cat or 932 565 950
Getting there
Passeig de Sant Joan 26, 08010 Barcelona.
It’s a short walk from Parc de la Ciutadella and the Arc de Triomf, which is the obvious way to build an afternoon around it.
The Sherlock Holmes collection
We haven’t seen it, as we visited it during pandemics, and many parts of it were closed.
With kids
Our kids were small enough and they didn’t enjoy, but us, as adults enjoyed it a lot.
More Barcelona buildings most visitors miss
- Palau Güell — Gaudí’s early townhouse off La Rambla
- Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau
- Palau de la Música Catalana
- Monestir de Pedralbes
- 48h Open House Barcelona — the weekend when buildings like this open free
- Top places to visit in Barcelona
- Barcelona with kids: our full family guide
Biblioteca Pública Arús: FAQ
Is Biblioteca Pública Arús free to visit?
The library itself is free — it is a public library and you can use it as a reader. But seeing the Modernist reading room and the Sherlock Holmes collection as a visitor requires the guided visit, which costs €19 and must be booked in advance through Cases Singulars.
How much is the guided visit to Biblioteca Arús?
€19 per person, booked in advance. Groups of ten or more can arrange a visit directly with the library. Price correct September 2026.
Where is Biblioteca Pública Arús?
Passeig de Sant Joan 26, 08010 Barcelona, in the Eixample close to the Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella.
How do you book a visit to Biblioteca Arús?
Guided visits are organised by Cases Singulars rather than the library itself, and can be booked through their site or through Barcelona Turisme. For groups of ten or more, contact the library directly at biblioteca.arus@bcn.cat or 932 565 950.
Is Biblioteca Arús worth visiting?
yes
