Los Angeles Central Library Celebrates 100 Years, Opens 1925 Time Capsule

The historic library unearths a century-old time capsule hidden within its walls.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:39pm

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The Los Angeles Central Library kicked off its 100th anniversary celebration by unveiling the contents of a recently recovered century-old time capsule that was buried within the walls of the building when it was dedicated in 1926. The tedious process to extract the copper-boxed capsule took over a year, but revealed a trove of historical artifacts and relics representing life in Los Angeles in the 1920s.

Why it matters

The discovery of this time capsule provides a unique window into the history of the Los Angeles Central Library and the city itself at the time of the library's construction. The contents offer valuable insights into the cultural, social, and economic landscape of Los Angeles in the 1920s, making this an important milestone in the library's centennial celebration.

The details

After drilling holes, running a borescope camera, and hammering through terra cotta blocks and concrete, the library's special projects director, Todd Lerew, was able to locate and extract the copper-boxed time capsule that had been hidden behind the wall in what is now the men's restroom. Inside the capsule was a scrapbook with photos of significant downtown buildings, a typed list of every library employee, and the design story told by the building's architects. Another smaller copper box contained relics related to the 1881 assassination of President Garfield, along with the 1881 Los Angeles population count of 11,183.

  • The Central Library cornerstone was laid on May 3, 1925, with the time capsule inside.
  • The time capsule was extracted in 2026, just in time for the library's 100th anniversary celebration.

The players

Todd Lerew

The Director of Special Projects at The Library Foundation, who led the effort to locate and extract the century-old time capsule.

Everett R. Perry

The City Librarian at the time the time capsule was buried in 1925.

John Szabo

The current City Librarian, who announced the library will complete its own 2026 time capsule at the end of this year's centennial celebration.

California State Normal School

The school that was on the site before the library was built, and whose cornerstone contents were also found inside the time capsule.

UCLA

The university that the California State Normal School later became.

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What they’re saying

“The box itself is an artifact. It's an amazing thing, and whatever it contains will be valuable institutional history, if not something more indicative of life in Los Angeles.”

— Todd Lerew, Director of Special Projects, The Library Foundation

“Both time capsules contained objects that represented the city more at large, so both of them had a lot of newspapers.”

— Todd Lerew, Director of Special Projects, The Library Foundation

What’s next

In a few weeks, the contents of the 1925 time capsule will be on display at the Central Library throughout the year. The library will also complete its own 2026 time capsule at the end of this year's centennial celebration.

The takeaway

The discovery of this century-old time capsule provides a fascinating glimpse into the history and culture of Los Angeles in the 1920s, offering valuable insights that will enrich the Central Library's centennial celebration and help preserve the institution's legacy for generations to come.