The library was opened on December 12, 1905 at the Tunnel hotel, and was moved to the current location in 1946. It consists of three buildings, the castle, the light calendar and the cylinder. The castle is the oldest part and was built for Malmö museum after drawings by the architects John Smedberg and Fredrik Sundbärg in Renaissance style. The light's calendar was designed by Henning Larsen and was opened on May 31, 1997. During this time, the castle was also renovated and refurbished in 1999. The cylinder connects the buildings, containing the entrance, reception and cafe.