places to visit

Library of Parliament

Uusimaa, Helsinki · Library of Parliament · Aurorankatu 6, 00100 Helsinki, Finland

Trinity College Library

South-East Inner City · Trinity College Library · Old Library, College Green, South-East Inner City, Dublin 2, D02 VR66, Ireland

Wiblingen Abbey

Wiblingen, Ulm · Wiblingen Abbey · Schloßstraße 38, 89079 Ulm, Germany

Baroque Benedictine monastery, founded in 1093 & expanded in 1714, featuring a rococo library.

Tama Art University Library

2-chōme, Hachioji · Tama Art University Library · 2-chōme-1723 Yarimizu, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0375, Japan

Austrian National Library

Innere Stadt, Wien · Austrian National Library · Josefsplatz 1, 1015 Wien, Austria

Baroque State Hall with ceiling frescoes housing National Library including papyrus & globe museums.

Strahov Library

Hradčany · Strahov Library · Strahovské nádvoří 132/1, 118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany, Czechia

Premonstratensian monastery & historical library offering ceiling frescoes, exhibits & guided tours.

Piccolomini Library

Toscana, Siena · Piccolomini Library · Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Majestic, airy library within the Siena Duomo known for its soaring, vibrant Pinturicchio frescoes.

Biblioteca do Palácio de Mafra

Lisboa, Mafra · Biblioteca do Palácio de Mafra · Terreiro D. João V, 2640 Mafra, Portugal

Abbey Library of Saint Gall

Sankt Gallen, St. Gallen · Abbey Library of Saint Gall · Klosterhof 6D, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland

Rococo library, formerly adjoining an abbey that burnt down, with over 170,000 religious texts.

Starfield Library

Yeongdong-daero · Starfield Library · South Korea, Seoul, Gangnam District, Yeongdong-daero, 513 스타필드 코엑스몰 B1

Futuristic library & cultural event space on 2 levels of a mall with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

Klementinum

Staré Město · Klementinum · Mariánské nám. 5, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha-Praha 1, Czechia

Complex comprised of the Mirror Chapel & Baroque Library, with Atlas atop the Astronomical Tower.

Admont Abbey Library

Steiermark, Admont · Admont Abbey Library · Kirchplatz 1, 8911 Admont, Austria

Around 70,000 theological volumes in a domed, gilded late-baroque hall with ceiling frescoes.

George Peabody Library

Mount Vernon, Baltimore · George Peabody Library · 17 E Mt Vernon Pl, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA

300,000-volume 19th-century library at Johns Hopkins University, with ornate Greek Revival interior.

Real Gabinete Português de Leitura

Centro · Real Gabinete Português de Leitura · R. Luís de Camões, 30 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20051-020, Brazil

Neo-Manueline-style library with ornate decor & a vast collection of volumes by Portuguese authors.

New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

Manhattan, New York · New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building · 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018, USA

NYC's flagship library, in a beaux arts building next to Bryant Park, flanked by iconic stone lions.

The Morgan Library & Museum

Manhattan, New York · The Morgan Library & Museum · 225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA

Celebrated museum & library's gift shop featuring books, accessories & collection-related wares.

Library of Congress

Capitol Hill, Washington · Library of Congress · 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA

This federal cultural institution is the world's biggest library & features tours, talks & concerts.