THE Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province recently announced the list of “2024 Guangdong’s Most Beautiful Public Cultural Spaces,” with three venues in Shenzhen earning a spot: the Qianhai Bay Branch of Shenzhen Library, the Blue House in Futian District, and the CIC Creativity and Innovation Center in Longgang District.

Qianhai Bay Branch of Shenzhen Library

深圳图书馆前海湾分馆

Opened for trial operations in 2023, this branch has quickly become a cultural landmark in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Specializing in books focused on trade, economics, and modern services, and covering topics such as business, law, finance, communications, architecture, tourism, and healthcare, the library offers a curated collection of over 6,200 books. It also includes foreign-language books to meet the diverse reading needs of local residents.

The branch regularly hosts community events such as academic summits, technology salons, professional service exchanges, English reading sessions, handmade bookmark workshops, and book donations.

Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m., closed Sundays

Add: Inside the Qianhai International Talent Hub (前海国际人才港内)

Metro: Line 1 to Liyumen Station (鲤鱼门站), Exit D

Blue House 蓝书坊

Located in Jingmi Community Park, the Blue House is a cultural venue designed by the renowned Chinese architect Liu Xiaodu. Spanning 720 square meters, it holds over 2,400 books on architecture and is divided into several zones: a reading area, a cultural exhibition space, a UABB display area, an activity zone, and a coffee lounge.

Supported by the Futian District Library, the Blue House offers cultural resources, academic exchanges, and serves as a specialized literature center for urban architecture. It also collaborates with a coffee brand to operate “Shuyu Coffee 2.0,” with proceeds contributing to the venue’s operations.

Book area hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Shuyu Coffee hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Add: Inside Jingmi Community Park, Futian District (福田区景蜜社区公园内)

Metro: Line to Meijing Station (梅景站), Exit A2

CIC Creativity and Innovation Center CIC创新创意中心

Situated at the Longcheng Creativity Commune (Longcheng CC), the CIC Creativity and Innovation Center spans 4,300 square meters across two floors. The first floor, covering 2,400 square meters, features spaces showcasing digital creative works, including an exhibition hall, a small theater, and a studio, providing ample room for growth and collaboration within the digital creative industry.

The center also houses Juxiang Bookshop and the ALILI Art Museum’s CC branch, creating a multi-functional hub for cultural and creative activities. The second floor, themed “Exhibition and Performance+,” offers a 700-square-meter space for large conferences, forums, music and theater lectures, artistic performances, and cultural exhibitions, fostering a diverse array of cultural collaborations.

Add: Inside Longcheng Creativity Commune, Longgang District (龙岗区龙城CC创意中心内)

Metro: Line 16 to Huanggekeng Station (黄阁坑站), Exit C

(Liu Yangyang)