Elling Eide Center

The Elling O. Eide Center is a research library and nature preserve overlooking Little Sarasota Bay in Sarasota, Florida. Dedicated to the study of classical Chinese literature and art, the Center fills a unique role in the cultural and scholarly landscape of its coastal Florida location.

Bequeathed by Sarasota resident Elling Eide (1935–2012), the 72-acre waterfront preserve brings together Old Florida and modern architecture. Sarasota architect Guy Peterson, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), designed the Center’s research library, which shares the landscape with a rich assortment of native and exotic plants. For his design of the Eide Center, Peterson won an American Institute of Architects Honor Award of Excellence in New Work in 2017. The Center’s collection amassed by Eide over six decades contains comprehensive library holdings and special collections of rare books, manuscripts, and artwork that represent a significant resource for scholars of China and East Asia.

The Elling Eide Center Research Library and Preserve opened its doors in the fall of 2016. The Center provides scholars and students with opportunities to research Chinese and East Asian culture, history, and art on a pristine nature preserve. The Center also hosts conferences, special lectures, and tours.