British Library

The British Library building is home to the UK's national library and to unique exhibition galleries. On display are some of the world's most famous written and printed items including: Magna Carta (1215), Shakespeare's First Folio (1623) and Codex Sinaiticus (c.350) and displays on calligraphy, bookbinding, printing, stamps and sound recording. Turning the Pages allows you to turn the pages of a book or unroll a scroll simply by touching the screen.

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Opening times:	St.Pancras site: Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri: 9.30-18.00. Tues: 9.30-20.00. Sat: 9.30-17.00. Sun & Public hols: 11.00-17.00 See website for details on reading room opening times/ Colindale newspaper library

The British Library moved to these spanking-new premises between King's Cross and Euston Stations in 1998. Colin St John Wilson's exterior of straight lines of red brick, which Prince Charles reckoned was akin to a 'secret-police building', is certainly not to all tastes. But even people who don't like the building from the outside can't fault the spectacularly cool and spacious interior. Most of the complex is devoted to storage and scholarly research, but there are also several public displays including the John Ritblat Gallery: Treasures of the British Library, which spans almost three millennia and every continent. Among the most important documents here are the Magna Carta (1215); the Codex Sinaiticus, the first complete text of the New Testament, written in Greek in the 4th century; a Gutenberg Bible (1455), the first Western book printed using movable type; Shakespeare's First Folio (1623); manuscripts by some of Britain's best-known authors (eg Lewis Carroll, Jane Austen, George Eliot and Thomas Hardy); and even some of the Beatles' earliest hand-written lyrics.Access to the reading rooms is by reader's pass only. See the website for details of how to apply for one and the conditions that need to be met.There are guided tours (adult/child 8/7) at 15:00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday and at 10:30 and 15:00 Saturday of the library's public areas, and another that includes a visit to one of the reading rooms at 11:30 and 15:00 Sunday. Call the main number to make a booking.

Traveller Rating:

Based on 5 reviews

Ranked #18

Latest 5 reviews of British Library

One of the Best Places to Visit in London

Even if you only have an hour, visit the British Library, next to (west-side of) St. Pancras station. The Sir John Ritblat Gallery is what you want to see ... Magna Carta, Gutenburg Bible, ancient...

Even if you only have an hour, visit the British Library, next to (west-side of) St. Pancras station. The Sir John Ritblat Gallery is what you want to see ... Magna Carta, Gutenburg Bible, ancient texts, scientists notebooks/writings, Shakespeare texts, Beatles texts, etc. It is all displayed nicely, in a subdued lit room. I and my two teenagers visited the Library on Sunday, June 29, 2008 for about 2 hours and it wasn't crowded at all - relatively few people there. If a person could visit only one thing in London, it would have to be the Tower of London (16 pounds/person). After that, it would have to be the British Library and the British Museum - I rate both about the same (highly!) ... and they are both free (though, I donated a few pounds).

19 July 2008

by TravelsWithEmily, Pullman, Washington

A day in the world's largest library

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the American Library of Congress is the "World's Largest Library" in terms of shelf space, but the British Library is the "World's Largest Library" in terms of the number of books in its collection. The Library used to be housed in the British Museum, but it now has its own building, a more modern facility, in Euston next to King's Cross St. Pancras. It houses the world's oldest dated printed book, the only surviving manuscript copy of Beowulf and other historical manuscripts and books. The Library also has free exhibits at the ground floor -- when I visited, the exhibit was entitled Sacred, which featured the oldest holy books of the three major religions of the world (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam).

15 April 2008

by mayfsi, Philippines

Bigget Secret in London

Well, it's probably not a secret, but most tourists don't come here. I enjoyed it MORE than the Bristish Museum. It was uncanny -- Gutenberg Bibles, Da Vinci Notebooks, Shakespeare notebooks, Magna Carta, the list goes on and on! I was blown away by the amount of treasures in the room. If you love history, come here before anywhere else.

28 February 2008

by Janda05, New York

Wonderful exhibition

If you like history or antique books, this is the best place. We saw a Magna Carta, 1,000 year old Bibles, old Korans and many old documents. In my opinion, this is a must see treat.

17 November 2005

by sfleis2, New Jersey

Fascinating Exhibits!

The British Library near King's Cross tube station is one of the most fascinating attractions in London. The collections are only open to researchers, but the building is beautiful (despite Prince...

The British Library near King's Cross tube station is one of the most fascinating attractions in London. The collections are only open to researchers, but the building is beautiful (despite Prince Charle's foolish objections to it) and the public exhibit of the Library's treasures is truly incredible! Plan to spend 60-90 minutes viewing this suberb collection of historic books and manuscripts. It is also free and seldom overcrowded!

10 April 2004

by A TripAdvisor Member,

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Location Information British Library

Address:	96 Euston Road, London London NW1 2DB
Telephone:	+44 (0)20 7412 7332
Fax:	+44 (0)20 7412 7807
Email:	visitor.services@bl.uk
Website:	www.bl.uk
Public transport:	Euston or King's Cross
By road:	Turn right along the Euston Road.