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Henry Miller Memorial Library

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Henry Miller Memorial Library

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Highway 1
Quarter mile south of Nepenthe Restaurant
Big Sur, CA 93920
831-667-2574

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Art Museum
History Museum
Library
Roadside Landmark
Live Music Venue

Henry Miller Memorial Library Description

Not for the faint of heart, Henry Miller was as controversial and larger-than-life in his day-to-day existence in Big Sur as the bohemian culture his books portrayed. Still, for older kids developing an interest in literature, art, or recent cultural history, a stop here will be eye opening and anything but boring. The walls of the library-cum-bookshop are papered with old posters, playbills, reviews, magazine articles, and pop art flyers; look around and it's like a museum of '50s- and early '60s-era bohemian counterculture. The story of Miller's fight to get his books through the censors is pretty riveting, and will make kids raised with today's liberal standards stop taking them for granted. Outside on the deck there are often free concerts on weekends, and thanks to Miller's legendary stature, some pretty impressive musicians come through.

Kid Tips

Toddlers & Pre-K: Little ones will be bored by this exhibit, which doesn't have many tot-oriented features.

School-Age Kids: Unless you want your 7-year-old asking you embarrassing questions, this is not a stop for younger children

Pre-Teens & Teens: You'll instantly up your hipness factor — and get a temporary respite from the eye-rolling "she's so uncool" attitude — if you bring them to the Henry Miller Museum. But to get the stamp of approval, you'll have to be comfortable letting them explore; no dragging them away from inapropriate material.

Planning Notes

Just worth a quick stop.The museum is not very big, and you never know in advance if it will be hopping or deserted. Luckily, it's free, so just pull over and check it out; you can always continue on if it's not for you.