Bibliotheek Hilversum in Hilversum
Hilversum's central library on 's-Gravelandseweg: open Monday to Saturday, free on-site parking, a 70-seat theatre and a programme of free help and paid workshops.
Photo credits
The Central Library of Bibliotheek Hilversum at 's-Gravelandseweg 55 in Hilversum.: Bibliotheek Hilversum
Quick answers
- Address
- 's-Gravelandseweg 55, 1217 EH Hilversum
- Address
- 's-Gravelandseweg 551217 EH Hilversum
- Opening hours
- Mon-Fri 09:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-17:00
- Parking
- Free car park on the library's own site
- Nearest station
- Hilversum, 1.2 km; library says 10 min
- Theatre
- 70 seats now, 120 planned
- Study places
- About 80 now, about 250 planned
- Move
- Planned: Gooische Brink, end of March 2027
- Contact
- +31 35 621 29 42
Holidays at Bibliotheek Hilversum
Open on the holidays: these nights are in the agenda.
Conversation at Bibliotheek Hilversum: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Hilversum.
Last night at Bibliotheek Hilversum: Taalcafé
February 2027
- Thu18Feb
Free - Mon22Feb
Free
March 2027
- Thu4Mar
Free - Thu18Mar
Free - Fri19Mar
Free - Thu25Mar
Free
Plan your visit to Bibliotheek Hilversum
Capacity: rooms from 8 to 70, and a 120-seat theatre in 2027
The library does not publish a capacity for the whole building. The largest bookable room is the theatre with 70 seats; the smallest is Villa 2 with 8.
- Whole building
- Not published
- Theatre
- 70 now, 120 from 2027
- Smallest room
- Villa 2, 8 people
- Nearby theatre
- Het Lichtruim, 130 seats
- Nearby hall
- Topsportcentrum Almere, 3,000
The theatre in the new Gooische Brink building is planned for 120 seats. The current theatre has 70.
Nearby, Theater Het Lichtruim in Bilthoven seats 130 at 11.9 km, and Topsportcentrum Almere holds 3,000 at 12.7 km. Both are a drive away, not walking distance.
| Room or venue | Type | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Bibliotheek Hilversum, whole building | Library | Not published |
| Theatre | Theatre | 70 |
| Course room | Course room | 20 |
| Meeting attic | Meeting room | 20 |
| Lounge | Lounge | 10 |
| Villa 1 | Meeting room | 10 |
| Villa 2 | Meeting room | 8 |
| Theatre in Gooische Brink, from 2027 | Theatre | 120 |
| Theater Het Lichtruim, Bilthoven (11.9 km) | Theatre | 130 |
| Topsportcentrum Almere (12.7 km) | Sports and events hall | 3,000 |
Opening hours: 09:00-20:00 on weekdays, 11:00-17:00 on Saturday
The Central Library is open from 09:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday and from 11:00 to 17:00 on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.
There are three exceptions around the end of 2026: on Thursday 10 December the library closes at 17:00 for a staff meeting, on Thursday 24 December it closes at 17:30, and on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December it is closed.
- Monday to Friday
- 09:00-20:00
- Saturday
- 11:00-17:00
- Sunday
- Closed
- Thursday 10 December 2026
- 09:00-17:00
- Thursday 24 December 2026
- 09:00-17:30
- Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December 2026
- Closed
| Day | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 09:00-20:00 |
| Friday | 09:00-20:00 |
| Saturday | 11:00-17:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Thursday 10 December 2026 | 09:00-17:00 |
| Thursday 24 December 2026 | 09:00-17:30 |
| Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December 2026 | Closed |
Membership and prices: free for children, €55 a year for adults
The Youth, Jongeren, Basic and Top cards lend 10 items at a time for 4 weeks, with one free renewal and free reservations from the branch collection. Children from 0 to 17 borrow free; adults pay €55 a year or €5.50 a month.
The Online Bibliotheek, with e-books, audiobooks and online magazines, is included with the Youth, Basic and Top cards, but not with the Jongeren card. The Top card costs €70 a year or €6.50 a month and adds no late fees.
The BiebApp lets adults borrow without a subscription for €2 per item, for 4 weeks; renewing and reserving are not possible. A visitor pass is free at the desk and gives free use of the public computers, but it does not allow borrowing.
You can join online or at the desk; bring an identity document if you join in person. The library points to the municipality for a possible contribution towards the subscription under the special assistance scheme.
- Youth 0-17
- Free
- Young adults 18-21
- €20 a year or €2.50 a month
- Basic
- €55 a year or €5.50 a month
- Top
- €70 a year or €6.50 a month
- BiebApp
- €2 per item, no subscription
- Visitor pass
- Free, no borrowing
| Card | Age | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth | 0-17 | Free | 10 items for 4 weeks; Online Bibliotheek |
| Jongeren | 18-21 | €20 a year or €2.50 a month | 10 items for 4 weeks; no Online Bibliotheek |
| Basic | 18 and over | €55 a year or €5.50 a month | 10 items for 4 weeks; Online Bibliotheek |
| Top | 18 and over | €70 a year or €6.50 a month | 10 items for 4 weeks; no late fees; Online Bibliotheek |
| BiebApp | 18 and over | €2 per item | Borrow without a subscription for 4 weeks |
| Visitor pass | All ages | Free | Public computers and printing; no borrowing |
Wifi, computers, printing and about 80 study places
The Central Library has study and work places, public computers, wifi, printing and copying, a course room, an exhibition space, a film room, a reading café and a makerspace.
There are about 80 study and work places in the current building; the new Gooische Brink building is planned with about 250. A visitor pass is free at the desk and gives free use of the public computers, but it does not allow borrowing.
Printing, scanning and copying are available and paid. There is also a return letterbox for books, a reading table, a makerspace and snack and drink vending machines.
The library has a course and practice room, an exhibition space and a film room. The theatre and the other rooms can be hired; see the room-hire section.
- Study places
- About 80 now, about 250 planned
- Wifi
- Available
- Public computers
- Free with a visitor pass
- Printing and copying
- Available, paid
- Return letterbox
- Yes
The reading café: coffee, a monthly sandwich and a €20 coffee card
The library's reading café serves coffee, tea and a changing monthly sandwich; you can pay by card.
A 10-cup coffee card costs €20 and the 11th coffee is free. The sandwich changes every month. There are also snack and drink vending machines.
For meetings in the hired rooms, the library lists coffee at €13 and tea at €8.
- Payment
- Card accepted
- Coffee card
- €20 for 10 cups, 11th free
- Sandwich
- Changes every month
- Meeting coffee
- €13
- Meeting tea
- €8
Accessibility: wheelchair access, lift, adapted toilets and accessible parking
The Central Library is listed as wheelchair-accessible and has facilities for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors.
The building has a lift or stairlift, adapted toilets, accessible parking and wheelchair access. The library is listed as wheelchair-accessible.
The meeting attic is the exception: it is reached only by stairs, and the lift does not go to the second floor. If you cannot use stairs, choose one of the other rooms.
For questions about specific facilities, call 035 621 29 42 or email [email protected].
- Wheelchair access
- Yes
- Lift
- Yes, but not to the meeting attic
- Adapted toilets
- Yes
- Disabled parking
- Yes
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing facilities
- Yes
| Facility | Available |
|---|---|
| Wheelchair access | Yes |
| Lift or stairlift | Yes, but not to the meeting attic |
| Adapted toilets | Yes |
| Disabled parking | Yes |
| Facilities for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors | Yes |
The planned move to Gooische Brink at the end of March 2027
The library plans to leave 's-Gravelandseweg 55 at the end of March 2027 and move to Gooische Brink.
The current building is 3,000 m²; the new building will be more than 5,000 m². The theatre is planned to grow from 70 to 120 seats and the number of study places from about 80 to about 250.
Villa Erica, the old villa in the complex, is a monument and will be preserved. The library says it will remain at 's-Gravelandseweg 55 until the move. The current building has been sold to HF Vastgoed.
For ideas for the programme in the new building, mail [email protected]; for questions about the move, mail [email protected]. For general questions, use [email protected].
- Move
- End of March 2027
- New location
- Gooische Brink
- Floor area
- 3,000 m² now; more than 5,000 m² new
- Theatre
- 70 seats now; 120 planned
- Study places
- About 80 now; about 250 planned
- Villa Erica
- Monument, preserved
| Item | Now | From the end of March 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 's-Gravelandseweg 55 | Gooische Brink |
| Floor area | 3,000 m² | More than 5,000 m² |
| Theatre | 70 seats | 120 seats |
| Study places | About 80 | About 250 |
Getting there by bus, train or on foot
The library is on 's-Gravelandseweg, with bus stops on both sides and Hilversum station about 10 minutes' walk away.
The nearest stops are Koninginneweg (150 m, 3 minutes) and Melkpad (160 m, 3 minutes), both served by bus 6 and 106. Raadhuis (320 m, 5 minutes) adds lines 1 and 121; De Kei (460 m, 7 minutes) is the next.
From Hilversum station, walk about 1.2 km or take bus 6 or 106 to Melkpad or Koninginneweg. The library itself says the station is about 10 minutes' walk; the street route measured by OpenStreetMap is 1220 m, about 17 minutes.
By car, the library has its own free car park on site; the parking section explains the street tariff if it is full.
Parking: free on site, paid on the street or in a nearby garage
The library has a free car park on its own site. The streets around it are paid, so the car park is the simplest option. Q-Park Hilvertshof, a paid garage, is about 12 minutes' walk away.
Drive in from 's-Gravelandseweg and park free on the library's own site; the room-hire page calls it 'our own car park where you can park for free'.
If the car park is full, 's-Gravelandseweg is in the paid shopping-street zone. Parking is paid Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to midnight: €2.70 for the first hour and €5.40 for each hour after. Sunday and public holidays are free. Since May 2025 the municipality has charged for parking across Hilversum up to the outer ring, so free street parking is rare.
Q-Park Hilvertshof, Groest 100, 840 m, about 12 minutes' walk, 575 spaces, open 24/7, paid.
| Parking | Address | Walk | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library car park | 's-Gravelandseweg 55 | At the entrance | Free |
| 's-Gravelandseweg street parking | 's-Gravelandseweg | 1 min | €2.70 first hour, €5.40 after; Mon-Sat 09:00-midnight, Sunday free |
- Library car park
- Free, on site
- Street tariff
- €2.70 first hour, €5.40 after
- Street parking hours
- Mon-Sat 09:00-midnight
- Sunday
- Free
- Q-Park Hilvertshof
- 575 spaces, 6 disabled, 2.00 m; 840 m, 12 min
Hire a room: a 70-seat theatre and rooms for 8 to 20
The library says it has seven rooms; its price table publishes capacities for the theatre, course room, meeting attic, lounge and two Villa rooms.
- Rooms
- Seven; the theatre seats 70
- Theatre
- 70 seats; stage 2.8 by 5 m
- Smallest room
- Villa 2, 8 people
- Theatre hire
- €140 morning or afternoon; €170 evening
- Other rooms
- €90 per day part
| Room | Capacity | Morning or afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre | 70 | €140 | €170 |
| Course room | 20 | €90 | €90 |
| Meeting attic | 20 | €90 | €90 |
| Lounge | 10 | €90 | €90 |
| Villa 1 | 10 | €90 | €90 |
| Villa 2 | 8 | €90 | €90 |
Contact, address and Servicepunt Noord
The Central Library is at 's-Gravelandseweg 55, 1217 EH Hilversum; the Servicepunt Noord is at Lopes Diaslaan 213, 1222 VE.
- Central Library
- 's-Gravelandseweg 55, 1217 EH Hilversum
- Servicepunt Noord
- Lopes Diaslaan 213, 1222 VE Hilversum
- Phone
- 035 621 29 42
- [email protected]
- Room hire
- [email protected]
- Help desk
- [email protected]
Official links
More from Bibliotheek Hilversum
About Bibliotheek Hilversum
Bibliotheek Hilversum's Central Library is at 's-Gravelandseweg 55, in a complex that includes Villa Erica, a listed villa. It is the main branch, with a theatre, a course room, a meeting attic, a lounge, two Villa rooms, a reading café and about 80 study and work places.
The programme mixes free drop-in help with paid workshops and shows. The Taalcafé is a free group for practising Dutch, the IDO desk helps with DigiD and other digital government services, and the legal desk, work centre and reading-aloud sessions are free. The paid programme includes botanical drawing; the agenda also lists AI introductions, creative writing, CoderDojo, yoga, lectures, a magic show and family theatre.
A visitor pass is free at the desk and gives use of the public computers, but not borrowing. Children borrow free, young adults pay €20 a year, and a basic adult card costs €55 a year. The library has its own free car park, bus stops at the door and Hilversum station about 10 minutes' walk away. It plans to move to Gooische Brink at the end of March 2027.
- Main branch
- Central Library, 's-Gravelandseweg 55
- Largest room
- Theatre, 70 seats
- Study places
- About 80 now, about 250 planned
What's on: Taalcafé, digital help, workshops and family shows
The agenda is a mix of free walk-in sessions and paid workshops, talks and shows. It covers the Central Library, Servicepunt Noord and external locations, so check the location on each listing.
The Taalcafé appears most often: a free drop-in group for practising Dutch in small groups, with no registration, on several mornings and afternoons a week. The IDO desk for digital government questions is open Monday to Friday from 14:00 to 16:00 at the Central Library, and Tuesday and Thursday from 14:00 to 16:00 at Servicepunt Noord. The legal desk, work centre and other drop-in sessions are free walk-in sessions.
For children, the library reads aloud to toddlers Monday to Friday from 10:30 to 11:00 and to preschoolers on Wednesday from 15:00 to 15:30. Servicepunt Noord reads aloud on Monday and Wednesday from 15:00 to 15:30. The agenda also has kinderyoga, CoderDojo, AI workshops, a magic show, family theatre and a Historisch Café.
Paid examples: the botanical drawing workshop costs €123 and runs on several days from 11:30 to 16:30; other workshops include creative writing and a Christmas craft workshop. Many sessions, including the AI introduction, are free. Check each listing for the price and whether you need to book.
- Taalcafé
- Free, no registration; several times a week
- IDO desk
- Mon-Fri 14:00-16:00; Tue and Thu in Noord
- Children's reading
- Toddlers 10:30-11:00; preschoolers Wed 15:00-15:30
- Botanical drawing
- €123; several days, 11:30-16:30
Photos
Photo credits
The Central Library of Bibliotheek Hilversum at 's-Gravelandseweg 55 in Hilversum.: Bibliotheek Hilversum
A stained-glass window in the interior of Bibliotheek Hilversum at 's-Gravelandseweg 55.: Unknown author / Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed · CC BY-SA 4.0
The view from the library's passage towards the Anemonestraat and the church.: IJsbrand Heins · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to 3:2
Read reviews on Google Maps We don't show ratings here. See what visitors say on Google Maps.
Frequently asked questions about Bibliotheek Hilversum
What time does Bibliotheek Hilversum open?
Monday to Friday at 09:00 and Saturday at 11:00. It closes at 20:00 Monday to Friday and at 17:00 on Saturday; on Sunday it is closed.
Is the library open on Sunday?
No. The Central Library is closed on Sunday, and also on Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2026. Outside those exceptions, Saturday is the only weekend day with opening hours, 11:00-17:00.
Where is Bibliotheek Hilversum?
At 's-Gravelandseweg 55, 1217 EH Hilversum. The Servicepunt Noord is at Lopes Diaslaan 213, 1222 VE Hilversum.
Is there parking at the library?
Yes, the library has its own free car park on site, entered from 's-Gravelandseweg. The street itself is paid Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to midnight: €2.70 for the first hour and €5.40 after; Sunday is free.
How do I get there by public transport?
Bus 6 and 106 stop at Koninginneweg (150 m) and Melkpad (160 m), both about 3 minutes' walk. From Hilversum station, take bus 6 or 106 to either stop, or walk the 1.2 km in about 17 minutes.
Is the library free to visit?
A visitor pass is free at the desk and gives free use of the public computers, but it does not allow borrowing. A youth card (0-17) is free; adults pay €55 a year or €5.50 a month.
What does a membership cost?
Children 0-17 free; 18 to 21 €20 a year or €2.50 a month; adults €55 a year or €5.50 a month; Top €70 a year or €6.50 a month. The Youth, Jongeren, Basic and Top cards lend 10 items for 4 weeks with one free renewal. The BiebApp (€2 per item) does not allow renewal or reservations, and the free visitor pass does not allow borrowing.
Can I print and copy?
Yes, the library has printing, scanning and copying facilities, and a visitor pass can use them. Printing and copying are paid.
Can I study or work there?
Yes. The current building has about 80 study and work places, public computers and wifi. The new Gooische Brink building is planned with about 250 study places.
Is the library wheelchair-accessible?
Yes. The library is listed as wheelchair-accessible, with a lift or stairlift, adapted toilets, accessible parking and facilities for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors. The meeting attic is the exception: it is reached only by stairs.
Is there a café in the library?
Yes, the reading café serves coffee, tea and a monthly sandwich. You can pay by card, and a 10-cup coffee card costs €20 with the 11th coffee free.
When will the library move?
The library expects to move at the end of March 2027, to Gooische Brink. The new building will have more than 5,000 m², a 120-seat theatre and about 250 study places; Villa Erica will be preserved.
Can I hire a room?
Yes. The theatre seats 70 and costs €140 for a morning or afternoon and €170 for an evening; the other published rooms seat 8 to 20 and cost €90 per day part. Email [email protected].
Is there a library in Hilversum Noord?
Yes, the Servicepunt Noord at Lopes Diaslaan 213, 1222 VE is open Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00. A staff member is present from 14:00 Monday to Thursday and from 12:00 to 15:00 on Friday. It has study places, wifi, a reading table and a café.
What is the Taalcafé?
A free drop-in group for practising Dutch in small groups; no registration is needed. It runs several times a week, usually in the morning or afternoon, and the agenda above shows the next sessions.
Is there reading aloud for children?
Yes: toddlers Monday to Friday 10:30-11:00, preschoolers Wednesday 15:00-15:30 at the Central Library. Servicepunt Noord reads aloud on Monday and Wednesday 15:00-15:30.
What is the phone number?
035 621 29 42. The same number serves the Central Library and Servicepunt Noord; email [email protected].
Sources: Bibliotheek Hilversum: theatre and room capacities (October 30, 2026) · Bibliotheek Hilversum: Central Library (October 30, 2026) · Bibliotheek Hilversum: agenda (October 30, 2026) · Bibliotheek Hilversum: subscriptions and tariffs (October 30, 2026) · OpenStreetMap: stops and walking times around the library (October 30, 2026) · Parkeren Hilversum: parking tariffs (October 30, 2026) · Bibliotheek Hilversum: reading café (October 30, 2026) · Bibliotheek Hilversum: the move to Gooische Brink (October 30, 2026)
