The British Library London

Image by Peter Hoffer

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Peter from London

American. No matter what exotic locale I am visiting, after a few days I long to...

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When some people think of libraries, they might think of old women in cardigans shushing people for making any noise at all (as a former librarian during my student days, I can assure you that I only wore cardigans on cold days). Surely a library is no place to hang out while on holiday?

The British Library breaks all of these stereotypes. Not only is it a working library for dedicated students and researchers with free wifi access and working spaces throughout, it also caters to more casual visitors with cosy cafes and a restaurant on the premises to relax and read.

However, the biggest draw to the British Library is its permanent collection – free for anyone to admire. The permanent collection covers many aspects of literature, ranging from original manuscripts from Charlotte Bronte to Virginia Woolf. Even if you are not a connoisseur of books, you’ll likely find displays that will capture your interest among the priceless religious texts, scientific documents and handwritten musical scores.

Emily Dickinson wrote in one of her poems ‘There is no frigate like a book’. I can think of no better illustration of this than the British Library.

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Peter from London

Peter Hoffer photo

American. No matter what exotic locale I am visiting, after a few days I long to...

Read all articles

Details about this spot

Categories

Address

96 Euston Road,NW1 2DB, London

Telephone number

+448432081144

Opening Times

Mon & Wed - Fri 09:30 - 18:00, Tue 09:30 - 20:00, Sat 09:30 - 17:00, Sun 11:00 - 17:00

Price

Free

Website

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Last Changed Date: 2016-05-19 11:45:13 +0200 (Thu, 19 May 2016)