10 Famous Libraries Around the World

It’s summer vacation time again! When planning your itinerary, no matter where you’re going, keep this in mind: There are famous libraries well worth visiting all over the world, each distinct in terms of architecture, history, and collections. A stop at any of these would enhance any traveler’s itinerary. Not traveling? No problem—if a staycation is in your future, one of these might be in your backyard.

Without further ado, here are ten famous libraries around the world:

1. Library of Congress, Washington, DC, USA

The Library of Congress is a repository for millions of books, maps, manuscripts, films, audio and video recordings, prints and drawings, and other collections. Its archives include Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, original Spider-Man art by Stan Lee, a Gutenberg Bible, and first editions of such classic works as Moby-Dick. Admission is free, but visitors should plan ahead and reserve a free timed-entry ticket to ensure their visit will fit their schedule.

2. Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland

Trinity College Library, the largest library in Ireland, is not only an architectural stunner. It’s also home to the Long Room, which houses more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books, and the Book of Kells display. The Book of Kells is a manuscript known around the world for its Latin versions of the four gospels and its stunning artistry.

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3. Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, UK

The Bodleian Libraries are a group of twenty-six libraries at the University of Oxford. The primary Bodleian is a four-hundred-year-old legal repository, and with the other branches, the archives hold more than 13 million printed items and 80,000 digital items. The impressive neo-Gothic building is worth visiting just for the architecture, but the library also offers a robust schedule of events and programming for visitors.

4. Wiblingen Monastery Library, Ulm, Germany

Wiblingen Monastery Library, a beautiful rococo library, is part of the gorgeous baroque monastery. It is as much a museum as a library, full of sculpture and striking artwork. Before the library was secularized, it was home to monks and artists who created painstakingly detailed, artist manuscripts.

5. Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China

Once named one of the world’s greatest places by Time Magazine, the modern architecture of the Tianjin Binhai Library sets it apart from many of its European counterparts. Terraced shelves appear to flow down the walls, with a capacity of more than 1.3 million books. It serves as a social gathering spot and a center for literature.

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6. State Library Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

The Sydney Opera House isn’t Australia’s only claim to cultural and architectural fame. Melbourne, branded as the City of Literature, is home to State Library Victoria—the first public library in Australia and the first free library in the world. The regal building occupies an entire city block with myriad galleries to explore.

7. Vancouver Public Library, Central Library, Vancouver, Canada

Filling a full city block, the Vancouver Public Library’s Central Library is the most visited major urban library per capita in Canada. Its diverse collections include items in a wide range of languages (Arabic, Polish, Hindi, and Tagalog, among others), Indigenous materials, an Inspiration Lab, gardens, and a family theater.

8. Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading contains the largest collection of Portuguese literature found outside of Portugal, with more than 350,000 books, ancient scrolls, and rare manuscripts. The rarest items are in climate-controlled display cases, allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of them without putting the items at risk. The building itself was inspired by a Portuguese monastery, and its facade was built of stones that had been worked in Lisbon and shipped to Rio.

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9. UNAM Central Library, Coyoacán, Mexico

One of the newer entrants on this list, the UNAM Central Library opened in 1956. The ten-story building was designed by Mexican architect Juan O’Gorman and boasts a four-sided mosaic called “Historical Representation of Culture,” with each side representing a different era of Mexican history. Its collection has grown from 80,000 items when it opened to more than 1.5 million volumes (about one-third are books). In 2007, UNESCO named this library a World Heritage Site (along with the university campus where it’s located).

10. Royal Library of the Monastery of El Escorial, Madrid, Spain

The Royal Library of the Monastery of El Escorial was founded as a grand Renaissance library by sixteenth-century King Phillip II. Today, it’s known for its significant collection of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century printed books, holding about 40,000 books and 600 incunabula. The stunning building also holds more than 7,000 engravings from fifteenth- and sixteenth-century artists. Its Hall of Frescoes (also known as the Main Hall) holds not only books but also has bookcases designed by Juan de Herrera and portraits of historical figures, mathematical and scientific instruments, reproductions of fauna and flora, and a medal table.

This list of famous libraries is by no means exhaustive, but gives you an overview of all that’s out there to explore, whether you’re traveling for your summer vacation or enjoying a staycation. Visit any of the libraries on this list in person or, if that’s not feasible, check out libraries that offer virtual tours online. Example: The Book of Kells exhibit in Ireland, which was recently added to Trinity College’s online exhibits for people to view from anywhere.

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