IMPRESSIVE LIBRARIES

BEINECKE RARE BOOK LIBRARY IN

YALE UNIVERSITY, USA

From the outside, this windowless monstrosity really isn’t much

to look at, but the interior of this Yale library is quite impressive

and undeniably unique with its beautiful marble walls. The library

is now the largest building in the world designed exclusively for

the protection of rare books and manuscripts. And it has quite the

collection to protect, as the building is home to one of 48 known

copies of the Gutenberg Bible, ancient papyri, rare maps, medieval

manuscripts, early American newspapers and more.

JOSÉ VASCONCELOS LIBRARY, MEXICO

Nicknamed the “megalibrary” by the Mexican press, this giant

Library takes up a whopping 409,000 square feet, making it large

enough to dwarf the painted grey whale skeleton displayed inside

the main hallway. Outside of the library is an impressive botanical

garden that protects the building from the loud city streets,

providing a moat for this castle of knowledge. Inside, over 500,000

books are displayed on glass shelves hanging from the five

stories of the building. The end result is as striking as it is stunning.

PALAFOXIANA LIBRARY, MEXICO

Established in 1646, this Puebla library was the first public library

in Mexico; some even argue that it was the first library in the

Americas. It is now listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

and its 41,000 books and manuscripts include an array of rare

and antique titles.

THE ARMSTRONG-BROWNING LIBRARY

AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY, USA

Philanthropist Dr. A.J. Armstrong wanted to create the “most

beautiful building in Texas,” and the end result was this 3-story,

Italian Renaissance-styled masterpiece adorned with 62 stained

Glass windows, massive marble columns and intricate ceiling

designs. Armstrong justified the expense by pointing out that the

“compelling beauty” of the building might be able to inspire

Someone enough that "if we by that means give the world another

Dante, another Shakespeare, another Browning, we shall count

the cost a bargain."

MORGAN LIBRARY, USA

Constructed in 1906, this amazing New York landmark was originally

Built as the personal library and museum space for financier

Pierpont Morgan’s impressive collection of rare books, manuscripts,

drawings, artefacts and prints. After Pierpont’s death, his grandson,

J.P. Morgan, Jr., opened the library to the public in 1924.

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, USA

Talk about old school: The Boston Public library, established in

1848, was the first municipal library in all of the U.S. Its first

location was a small Massachusetts schoolhouse, but it had

to expand almost immediately. In 1895, the current building,

called a “palace for the people” by architect Charles Follen McKim,

was completed in Copley Square. In 1972, the building was

expanded, and it now contains over 8.9 million books, a number

of rare manuscripts, maps, musical scores, and prints. It even

has first edition folios from Shakespeare and original

music scores by Mozart.

BRADDOCK CARNEGIE LIBRARY, USA

The first Carnegie library in the U.S., this library was designed in an

eclectic medieval style by William Halsey Wood and opened in 

Pennsylvania in 1889. Only 5 years later, it received a

Romanesque-styled addition, doubling the size of the building.

At the time, it featured a variety of entertainment options,

including billiards tables on the first floor, a music hall, a

gymnasium, and a swimming pool. Additionally, it held a bathhouse

in the basement so mill workers could take a shower before

accessing the facilities. These days, the bathhouse is a

pottery studio, but the tiled floors and walls remain.

INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY, USA

This Indiana library manages to balance old and new influences in a

refreshingly unique manner. The original building, completed in

1917, is located in the front of the complex, while a massive,

modernized addition from 2007 sits in the background. The

first building was designed in the Greek Doric style and is often

called one of the most outstanding architectural libraries in the U.S.

The addition is just about as modern as can be, with glass and

wood panelling throughout the building, and the 6-story, 293,000

square foot tower provides even more space for books and

reading rooms.