In pretty much every city you visit, you’ll find a library with a reading room. Some of them are simple, others are big, and a select few take your breath away. These aren’t just places for turning pages. They’re spectacular landmarks that attract not only the average reader but also general visitors eager to admire their magnificence.
All of the world’s great reading rooms have a few things in common, including stunning architecture, historic collections, and a rich atmosphere that sets them apart. We’ve rounded up the ones we think deserve a place on every book lover’s bucket list.
Rose Main Reading Room, New York Public Library — New York City, United States
Located in the heart of the Big Apple, the Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library is one of those places that’s difficult to put into words.
Its striking design, with a ceiling adorned with painted clouds and ornate chandeliers suspended above rows of reading tables, gives the space a sense of classic elegance.
Throughout the Rose Main Reading Room, visitors are free to explore its extensive collection of reference volumes. Free daily tours are available from Monday to Saturday, but they’re limited to the first 25 participants, so be sure to arrive early, or you’ll miss out!
Address: Public Library, 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 10AM – 5:45PM
– Tuesday and Wednesday: 10AM – 7:45PM
– Sunday: 1PM – 4:45PM
Sherman Fairchild Reading Room, The Morgan Library & Museum — New York City, United States
Inside the famed Morgan Library & Museum in New York City lies the spectacular Sherman Fairchild Reading Room. Filled with some of financier J.P. Morgan’s most valued texts, including many rare volumes, it’s a true treasure trove for bibliophiles waiting to be discovered.
The room itself features a square, multi-level design, with two tiers of floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled with Morgan’s collected works. To access this area, visitors must obtain approval from the library, and entry is restricted to researchers or those with a specific need to view the material.
Address: 225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday: 10:30AM – 5PM
– Friday: 10:30AM – 8PM
– Saturday: 10:30AM – 3PM
– Monday: Closed
Bates Hall, Boston Public Library — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Stretching the full length of the McKim building of the Boston Public Library, Bates Hall is the primary reading room of the facility. The room gets its name from Joshua Bates, who was the largest donor to the library. His only request was that it be free for everyone to visit, and to this day, that remains the policy.
Some of Bates Hall’s defining characteristics include the grand barrel-vaulted ceiling and the scattered shelving between columns, which has been in place since its opening in 1895.
Address: 700 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 9AM – 8PM
– Friday and Saturday: Closed
– Sunday: 11AM – 5PM
The Fifth Floor Reading Room and Special Collections Reading Room, Boston Athenaeum — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Of the Boston Athenaeum’s 12 levels, the Fifth Floor Reading Room and Special Collections Reading Room stand out most in terms of both literature and beauty.
On the fifth floor, readers are treated to a terraced space offering spectacular views over Boston itself. Added during a 1914 renovation, the large windows bathe the room in natural light, highlighting the white interiors and sculptural details throughout.
As you move on to the Special Collections Reading Room, you are met with a staggering selection of over 200,000 pieces of written material, including early printed works and medieval manuscripts.
Address: 10-1/2 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 9AM – 8PM
– Friday to Sunday: Closed
Historic Reading Room and Special Collections Reading Rooms, John Rylands Library — Manchester, United Kingdom
Whether you’re a typical tourist or a traveling reader, the Historic Reading Room at Manchester’s John Rylands Library is sure to impress. Designed in a Victorian Gothic style, it draws attention for its stained-glass windows and hidden steps, setting it apart from the rest of the building.
Another notable space is the Special Collections Reading Room on the fourth floor. Designed for quiet study, the reading room provides a calm, focused environment and access to more than 30 subject areas, including African studies and the humanitarian archive.
Address: 150 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Sunday to Tuesday: Closed
– Wednesday to Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
Salle Labrouste, Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) Richelieu — Paris, France
The Salle Labrouste at the Bibliothèque nationale de France Richelieu, designed by Henri Labrouste, is instantly recognizable for its remarkable nine-dome ceiling. Covering more than 1,150 square meters, the reading room showcases the brilliance of 19th-century iron architecture in a semicircular plan.
For those who would like to visit the Salle Labrouste to read, 345 armchairs are available, along with cast-iron radiators and heated footrests for added comfort.
Address: 5 Rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM
– Wednesday to Sunday: 10AM – 6PM
– Monday: Closed
Salle Ovale, Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) Richelieu — Paris, France
Salle Ovale, otherwise known as the ‘Oval Room,’ sounds exactly like what you might envision it to be. An oval-shaped section of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) Richelieu, it holds over 20,000 volumes. Among them, you’ll find 11,000 graphic novels as well as interesting texts related to art history.
Visitors are permitted to enter Salle Ovale for free and admire its recently completed renovation, made possible by the 2,700 people who donated. Salle Ovale is designed to welcome everyone, whether you’re reading, studying, or simply admiring the space.
Address: 5 Rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM
– Wednesday to Sunday: 10AM – 6PM
– Monday: Closed
Main Reading Room, Sainte-Geneviève Library — Paris, France
Dating back to the 5th century, Sainte-Geneviève Library’s Main Reading Room has long been a stop on many book lovers’ itineraries when visiting the French capital. Over 2 million texts are said to be stored across the building, including an original collection of 16,000 items.
A timeless atmosphere fills the Main Reading Room, with its arched ceiling, intricate decorative elements, and green lamps casting a soft glow over the tables below. No wonder people often say it looks like something from Harry Potter.
Address: 10 Pl. du Panthéon, 75005 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 1PM – 7PM
– Sunday: Closed
Duke Humfrey’s Library Reading Room, Bodleian Libraries — Oxford, United Kingdom
Of all the Bodleian Libraries, Duke Humfrey’s Library Reading Room is the oldest, and some would say the most beautiful. With its finely crafted woodwork, stunning stained-glass windows, and small balconies that overlook the bookshelves, it’s a joy to witness.
In terms of its collection, the Duke Humfrey’s Library Reading Room holds around 15,000 volumes, only a small number of which originally belonged to Duke Humfrey himself. It also contains rare works such as a Shakespeare First Folio.
Address: Broad St, Oxford OX1 3BG, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9AM – 5PM
– Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Main Reading Room, Real Gabinete Português de Leitura — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
If you happen to be in Rio de Janeiro, make sure to swing by the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura to check out the Main Reading Room. Regarded as one of the world’s most alluring literary landmarks, it was designed in the Neo-Manueline style to house a collection of over 350,000 volumes.
Given its links to Portuguese immigration, there is a strong Portuguese influence throughout the building, with sculptural works of figures such as Luís de Camões.
Address: R. Luís de Camões, 30 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20051-020, Brazil
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Friday: 10AM – 5PM
– Saturday to Monday: Closed
La Trobe Reading Room, State Library Victoria — Melbourne, Australia
La Trobe Reading Room at the State Library Victoria is among the city’s great literary highlights and also one of its most popular photo spots. Established in 1913, it spans six levels and has a distinctive octagonal design, with reading tables arranged on the ground floor as the focal point. Many visitors like to head up to the sixth floor to take in the view of the room below and snap some photos, making it a true Melbourne highlight.
A strong display of Edwardian architecture, La Trobe Reading Room is also a key study space for students, with 320 desks and shelving for up to 32,000 books.
Address: 328 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 10AM – 6PM
Main Reading Hall, Bibliotheca Alexandrina — Alexandria, Egypt
The seven-level Main Reading Hall at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is up there with the largest reading rooms in the world. Measuring 160 meters in diameter and 32 meters in height, it can accommodate up to 2,000 people at any one time.
The building’s iconic slanted design carries through into the reading hall itself. An angled roof fitted with windows towers above a series of specialist libraries surrounding it, including sections dedicated to children, multimedia, and more.
Address: الأزاريطة والشاطبي، Bab Shar’, Alexandria Governorate 21526, Egypt
Opening hours:
– Monday to Wednesday: 10AM – 6PM
– Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10AM – 2PM
– Friday: Closed
Main Reading Room, Library of Congress — Washington, D.C
Sticking to sizable locations, next we’re moving on to the Library of Congress and its biggest room, the Main Reading Room. Set on the first level of the Thomas Jefferson Building, a significant collection of up to 50,000 reference volumes covering social science, history, and other subjects is housed here.
When wandering around the Main Reading Room, visitors can spot the massive dome decorated with images of women, along with a range of portrait statues, including one of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Address: 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540, United States
Opening hours:
– Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Thursday: 10AM – 8PM
– Sunday and Monday: Closed
British Museum Reading Room, British Museum Library — London, UK
What began as a need for a more sizable reading space at the British Museum eventually became the famed round Reading Room. Designed by Sydney Smirke, the vast circular layout is crowned by a soaring, domed ceiling, with bookcases arranged around the entire room.
If you want to visit the British Museum Reading Room for more than just a quick browse, you can join one of the guided tours held here on Tuesdays. They run twice at the same time each week: 11:00 am and 12:00 pm.
Address: The British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1E 7JW, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Wednesday and Friday: 10AM – 5PM
– Thursday: 1PM – 5PM
– Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Graduate Reading Room (Suzzallo Reading Room) — Suzzallo Library, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
Out in the west wing of the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library lies the Suzzallo Reading Room, a space that feels more like a grand palace than a library. From the eye-catching Gothic chandeliers to the sweeping staircases, the whole room feels like it’s straight from a movie set.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the leaded-glass windows, which feature Renaissance-era designs, with an estimated total of 28; a true highlight.
Address: 4000 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 8AM – 7PM
– Friday: 8AM to 5PM
– Sunday: 1PM to 5PM
– Saturday: Closed
Main Reading Room — National Library of China (China)
China’s National Library’s Main Reading Room is a prime example of modern library design done right. At its center is a vast open atrium, with layers of floors rising around it, creating an incredible visual effect when viewed from above.
One of the coolest details is the ceiling, which is said to be inspired by a digital storage device, giving the whole Main Reading Room its unusual, futuristic shape.
Address: 33 Zhongguancun S Ave, Haidian District, China, 100089
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Sunday: 9AM – 9PM
– Monday: Closed
