On August 28, 2025, a unique library full of nostalgia and the charm of books – the Vintage Green-Skinned Train Library (a branch of Guangzhou Library at Guangzhou Railway Museum) – was officially opened to the public at the Guangzhou Railway Museum. It was jointly created by Guangzhou Library and Guangzhou Railway Museum.

The library is also named “White Swan Lake · Railway Charm Book Bar”. What makes it unique is that it is not built inside a conventional building. Visitors share over 10,000 m² of riverside parkland. The vintage green-skinned carriages and old warehouses can easily switch functions – parent-child reading, maker space, training, outdoor exhibitions, cultural events, lectures, salons, fitness – everyone finds what they need.

Building a library inside vintage green – skinned train carriages is a highly creative cross – cultural integration. The vintage green-skinned train is a shared memory for generations of Chinese people – symbolizing distant journeys, encounters, and stories. Through this approach, we aim to energize static reading, bring history to life, attract more people to the library, and cultivate a love of reading.

Since its opening, the library has quickly become a popular social media spot. Many visitors have come to experience it, saying: “Sitting in the vintage green-skinned train carriage and reading feels truly amazing – I can almost hear the whistle of the past while enjoying the peace of the present.” “Bringing my child here means we can both visit the museum and read together – killing two birds with one stone.”

More than a reading space, this library is a cultural waystation connecting past and future, memory and new knowledge.

As of April 2026, the Library has received over 40,000 visits. It has hosted reading sharing events such as “Reading and Life” and a group reading of “Rediscovering Yourself”. The library strives to become a community cultural centre, providing inclusive, high-quality lifelong learning opportunities and achieving low-carbon, sustainable development.