Tucked into the heart of Uptown Charlotte, ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center is unlike any library you have ever stepped inside.
Instead of quiet rows of books and hushed voices, this 102,000-square-foot wonder buzzes with performances, creative labs, and storytelling adventures that pull kids right into the action.
Whether your child is a bookworm, a budding filmmaker, or a theater fan, ImaginOn has something that will spark their imagination.
Here is a closer look at everything that makes this remarkable place so special.
A One-of-a-Kind Children’s Library Experience
Some places feel ordinary the moment you walk in. ImaginOn feels like stepping into a story.
Opened in 2005, this nationally recognized facility was built with one bold mission: to bring stories to life for every child who walks through its doors.
At 102,000 square feet, ImaginOn is one of the largest children’s learning centers in the United States. It combines a fully functioning public library with a professional children’s theater under one roof, creating a destination that serves kids from birth through their teen years.
That combination is rare, and it works beautifully.
Families visit from across the Carolinas and beyond, drawn by the promise of an experience that goes far beyond checking out books. The building itself feels like a character in the story, with bold colors, whimsical design details, and spaces that seem to say, “Come explore.” For parents who want their children to genuinely love learning, ImaginOn delivers something no ordinary library can.
It proves that reading and creativity are not separate activities — they are two sides of the same exciting adventure.
Where Stories Leap Off the Page and Onto the Stage
Picture your child’s favorite storybook character suddenly stepping off the page and waving hello. That is the kind of magic the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte delivers every single season inside ImaginOn’s stunning performance spaces.
Founded in 1948, the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is one of the oldest and most respected children’s theaters in the country. Its partnership with ImaginOn allows it to produce high-caliber professional performances right inside the library building, making live theater more accessible than ever for Charlotte families.
Productions range from classic fairy tales to fresh, original stories that tackle real emotions kids experience every day.
Attending a live show here is genuinely different from watching a movie or a cartoon. The energy in the room is electric, the performances are polished, and the stories connect in a way that sticks with young audiences long after the curtain falls.
Research consistently shows that live theater boosts children’s empathy, vocabulary, and creative thinking. At ImaginOn, every performance is crafted with those outcomes in mind.
Checking the theater’s seasonal calendar before your visit is highly recommended, since popular shows sell out quickly and you will not want to miss out.
Spangler Library: A Magical Space for Young Readers
Walk into the Spangler Library and you will immediately notice something: this space was designed by people who truly understand how children think. Every shelf is kid-height, every corner feels like an invitation, and the entire room radiates the kind of warmth that makes a child want to curl up with a book and stay forever.
Designed specifically for children ages 11 and under, Spangler Library holds an impressive collection of picture books, early readers, and chapter books. Storytelling areas are woven throughout the space, giving librarians natural stages for the energetic, interactive story times that families line up to attend.
Literacy activities are embedded everywhere, making reading feel less like a school assignment and more like a treasure hunt.
Parents often comment that their reluctant readers become eager ones after just a few visits to Spangler. The environment removes the pressure that sometimes surrounds reading and replaces it with pure curiosity.
Librarians here are skilled at matching kids to books they will actually love, so do not hesitate to ask for a recommendation. Whether your little one is just learning their letters or blazing through chapter books, Spangler Library has a shelf with their name on it.
The Loft: A Creative Hub Just for Teens
Teenagers sometimes feel like libraries were not built for them. The Loft at ImaginOn was built specifically to prove that wrong.
This dedicated teen space on the upper level of the building operates almost like a creative clubhouse, designed to feel cool, comfortable, and genuinely useful.
The collection inside The Loft is curated with teen tastes in mind, featuring graphic novels, manga, young adult fiction, nonfiction, and media resources that reflect the wide range of interests today’s young people bring through the door. Collaborative seating areas encourage group projects and social connection, while quieter corners provide space for focused reading or individual work.
The atmosphere strikes a balance between laid-back and productive that teens seem to respond to naturally.
Beyond the books, The Loft hosts programs tailored to older visitors, including writing workshops, art sessions, and community discussions. Staff members here are approachable and enthusiastic, and they treat teens as capable, creative individuals rather than just younger versions of adults.
For families visiting with both young children and older kids, The Loft solves the age-gap challenge beautifully. Everyone gets a space that fits them perfectly, and teenagers leave feeling seen rather than overlooked.
That alone makes ImaginOn stand out from every other library in the region.
Studio i and Multimedia Labs Spark Creativity
Not every story gets told through words on a page. Some are told through animation, video, music, or sound design — and Studio i is where young creators at ImaginOn get to explore all of those possibilities.
This multimedia lab is one of the most exciting features in the entire building.
Equipped with computers loaded with animation software, video editing tools, and audio recording capabilities, Studio i gives kids and teens the technology to transform their ideas into real digital projects. Staff members are available to guide first-time users and help more experienced creators push their skills further.
Programs and workshops cycle through regularly, offering structured introductions to filmmaking, podcasting, game design, and more.
What makes Studio i especially powerful is how it connects traditional storytelling to modern media. A child who fell in love with a book in Spangler Library might come upstairs to Studio i and create an animated short film inspired by that same story.
That kind of creative pipeline — from reading to making — is exactly what ImaginOn was designed to nurture. Reservations for lab time are sometimes required, so checking ahead is smart.
For tech-curious kids, this space alone is worth the trip to Charlotte.
Interactive Exhibits and Learning Labs
Scattered throughout ImaginOn’s sprawling building are interactive exhibits and multi-use classrooms that turn every hallway and common area into a learning opportunity. These are not the kind of dusty displays you glance at and walk past — they are hands-on, tactile, and genuinely fun to explore.
Exhibits change periodically, keeping return visits feeling fresh and giving families new reasons to come back throughout the year. Themes typically tie back to storytelling and literacy, challenging kids to think about how stories are structured, how characters are developed, and how different cultures pass their histories down through narrative.
Art-based activities, technology challenges, and imaginative play stations all show up in different corners of the building at different times.
The multi-use classrooms host workshops, school group programs, and community events that bring structured learning into the mix alongside the free-roam exploration the exhibits offer. Teachers often bring classes here for field trips precisely because the curriculum connections are so strong.
But you do not need to be part of a school group to benefit — families exploring on their own will find plenty to engage with at every turn. Letting kids lead the way through the exhibits often produces the most magical moments of any ImaginOn visit.
Two State-of-the-Art Theaters
Having one great theater in a children’s facility would be impressive. ImaginOn has two, and both are designed to deliver professional-quality experiences that rival anything you would find at a full-scale performing arts center.
The McColl Family Theatre and the Wells Fargo Playhouse are the twin heartbeats of the building’s performance culture.
The McColl Family Theatre is the larger of the two venues, seating several hundred audience members and hosting the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s main-stage productions throughout the year. Its technical capabilities — including advanced lighting rigs, sound systems, and staging — allow for elaborate, visually stunning productions that genuinely wow young audiences.
The Wells Fargo Playhouse is a more intimate black-box style space, ideal for experimental works, smaller productions, and youth-performed shows that bring a different energy to live storytelling.
Both theaters prioritize accessibility, with accommodations available for visitors with disabilities and sensory-friendly performances scheduled regularly throughout the season. Those sensory-friendly shows are a wonderful option for families with children who find traditional theater environments overwhelming.
Tickets for productions are reasonably priced, and discounts are often available for families. Booking in advance through the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte website is the best way to secure seats for the most popular shows before they sell out entirely.
A Space Designed to Inspire Imagination
Before a single book is opened or a single performance begins, ImaginOn makes a statement through its architecture. The building was designed with deliberate intention, and every visual detail reinforces the idea that this is a place where imagination is not just welcome — it is the whole point.
Bold, saturated colors run throughout the interior, from the walls to the furnishings to the signage. Story-themed art installations appear in unexpected places, rewarding curious visitors who take time to look closely.
The spatial layout itself tells a kind of story, guiding visitors from one discovery to the next in a way that feels organic rather than institutional. Architects and designers worked closely with educators and child development experts to ensure the environment actively supports creative thinking.
Research in environmental psychology shows that physical spaces genuinely influence how people feel and behave. ImaginOn’s designers clearly understood this, crafting a building that communicates possibility and playfulness at every turn.
For children who may not naturally gravitate toward libraries, the visual experience of simply being inside ImaginOn can shift their perception entirely. Many parents report that their kids ask to come back before they have even left the parking lot.
That kind of immediate emotional connection to a learning space is extraordinarily rare and worth celebrating.
A Community Hub for Learning and Play
More than 300,000 people walk through ImaginOn’s doors every single year. That number tells you something important: this building is not just a library or a theater.
It is a living, breathing community hub that Charlotte families have genuinely made their own.
Free programs run throughout the year, covering everything from baby story times to teen filmmaking workshops to family craft nights. Many of these programs are designed to serve communities that might face barriers to accessing cultural and educational experiences elsewhere.
ImaginOn’s commitment to free admission and free programming reflects a core belief that enriching experiences should be available to every child, regardless of family income or background.
Community partnerships bring additional programming into the building, connecting ImaginOn to schools, nonprofits, and neighborhood organizations across the Charlotte region. Special events tied to cultural celebrations, reading challenges, and seasonal themes give families recurring reasons to visit throughout the year.
The staff here genuinely know their community and work hard to make everyone feel welcomed and represented in the programs and collections they offer. For newcomers to Charlotte or families looking for a reliable, enriching weekend destination, ImaginOn functions as one of the city’s most genuinely inclusive gathering places.
Few institutions manage to be this useful and this joyful at the same time.
Visitor Info and Tips for Planning Your Trip
Planning your ImaginOn visit ahead of time makes a real difference. The center is located at 300 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202, right in the heart of Uptown Charlotte.
You can reach the visitor information line at +1 704-416-4600 if you have questions before you arrive.
Admission to the library and most exhibits is completely free, which is one of the best deals in the entire city. Theater performances through the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte require separate tickets, so purchasing those in advance through their website is strongly recommended — especially for weekend shows and holiday productions that tend to fill up fast.
Hours generally run daily with extended evening hours on weekdays, but confirming current hours before your trip is always a good idea since schedules can shift seasonally.
Parking is available in nearby decks and surface lots in Uptown Charlotte, and the building is accessible via CATS public transit routes as well. Some nearby parking offers validation, so ask at the information desk when you arrive.
Checking the online event calendar before your visit is the single best way to maximize your experience — story times, workshops, and special performances are scheduled regularly, and knowing what is happening on the day you visit helps you plan a truly unforgettable outing for the whole family.