Aberdeen Landmark Library Set to Feature in Netflix’s Dept. Q

ABERDEEN — One of Aberdeen's most recognisable modern landmarks is heading to the global screen, with the Sir Duncan Rice Library at the University of Aberdeen set to appear in the new season of Netflix's crime drama Dept. Q.

The distinctive library is the latest Granite City location to feature in the series, adding another Scottish cultural landmark to the production's growing list of filming locations.

Dept. Q follows detective Carl Morck and his team as they investigate cold cases in Edinburgh. Netflix describes the series as a British crime thriller based on the novels by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen.

The appearance gives Aberdeen's architecture an unusual new international platform.

The Sir Duncan Rice Library, known for its striking contemporary design, has become an important part of the University of Aberdeen's identity. Its appearance on a major streaming production could help introduce the building and the city to viewers who may never have previously considered Aberdeen as a cultural destination.

The development also highlights Scotland's growing importance as a filming location for international television productions. Dept. Q is being filmed in Scotland for its second season, with production involving returning stars and new cast members.

Screen productions can provide an unexpected boost to cultural tourism, encouraging viewers to explore the real locations they see on television.

For Aberdeen, the library's appearance offers an opportunity to showcase the city's architecture, university heritage and wider cultural identity to an international audience.

The series' first season became a major Netflix success, spending six weeks in the global Top 10, helping create significant interest ahead of its second season.

As filming continues in Scotland, more locations could gain international exposure through the production.

For Aberdeen, a university library has become more than an architectural landmark—it is now part of Scotland's expanding screen-culture story.