With over 150 million items on 625km of shelves on 14 floors, the British Library is one of the world’s great libraries. The library contains a copy of every book published in Britain and Ireland plus a large range of exhibits of rare and noteworthy books.
What to see at the British Library
In addition to millions of books and quiet reading and study areas, the British Library has displays of rare books and manuscripts as well as a programme of temporary exhibitions.
Treasures of the British Library is a permanent exhibition that features the library’s most significant works including a second century Bible, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook, a copy of the Magna Carta, William Caxton’s editions of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the Gutenberg Bible, handwritten Beatles manuscripts and the Diamond Sutra, the world’s earliest dated printed book (AD 868).
Temporary exhibitions
The library also has a programme of temporary exhibitions on specific themes but many of these exhibitions incur an entry charge.
Temporary exhibitions include:
Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music
The Beyond the Bassline exhibition (26 April–26 August 2024) examines the impact of five centuries of black music on British culture. With over 200 artefacts, the exhibit encompasses diverse genres, ranging from classical to grime. Its goal is to highlight the contributions of black musicians and the pivotal role of venues that nurtured creativity throughout the history of Britain. £15.
Visiting the British Library
The British Library is on Euston Road near Euston, St Pancras and King’s Cross railway stations. The closest tube station is King’s Cross St Pancras, which is only a five-minute walk from the library.
The library has two restaurants and six cafes and there are also plenty of places to eat and drink nearby including inside Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross railway stations.
Most areas of the library are wheelchair accessible including the exhibition spaces.
Most people (who aren’t coming here to work or study) spend between one and two hours at the British Library.
There are no comments yet.