The National French Library
Located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the French National Library (known in French as Bibliothèque Nationale de France) opens the doors of knowledge to everyone, with collections that are unique in the world, in particular including more than 14 million books.
The temple of knowledge and culture
As the continuation of the royal collections, the French National Library preserves and makes available the French documentary heritage collected since the Middle Ages. This institution also serves as the national legal depository, and across its seven sites holds 14 million books, not counting the prints, journals, manuscripts, sheet music and coins.
The heart of the French National Library is the building at Quai François-Mauriac, inaugurated in 1995 by François Mitterrand. This is the location of the reading rooms and reception and exhibition areas, in the Haut-de-Jardin library. This space is open to everyone for studying, taking in culture, and even having fun, with guided visits and workshops for adults and youth such as: "A unique journey through contemporary art", "Make a book for me", and "On the path of Marco Polo".
Additionally, the Gallica digital library now offers 2.5 million documents: it's a source like none other in the world.
