The British Library
National library with the free Treasures gallery: Magna Carta, Beatles lyrics and Shakespeare's First Folio.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
Photo: fsse8info from UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
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- Type
- Landmark
- Area
- Bloomsbury & Camden
- Opening hours
- Mon–Thu 09:30–20:00, Fri 09:30–18:00, Sat 09:30–17:00, Sun 11:00–17:00
- Price
- Free
- Time needed
- 60 min
- Official website
- bl.uk/visit
What to expect
The British Library is the national library of the UK. Its building next to St Pancras station was designed by Colin St John Wilson with his wife, MJ Long, opened in 1998 and is now Grade I listed. In the middle stands a six-storey glass tower holding the King's Library, the collection of books assembled by George III between 1763 and 1820.
Most visitors come for the free Sir John Ritblat Gallery, a dimly lit room of books and manuscripts. Items include Beowulf, the Lindisfarne Gospels, a Gutenberg Bible and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, plus a room devoted to Magna Carta. Eleven reading rooms are for registered researchers. The public spaces also include a piazza with cafés. A visit to the gallery takes about an hour.
Don't miss
- The King's Library glass tower
- Magna Carta
- Lindisfarne Gospels
- Gutenberg Bible
- Beowulf manuscript
Tips for your visit
- The gallery is free, so it makes a good short stop next to St Pancras or King's Cross.
- Light is kept low to protect fragile items, so give your eyes a minute to adjust.
- Reading rooms are for registered readers, but the public areas and the cafés are open to everyone.
Getting there from Trafalgar Square
🚇 15 min by Tube (line Northern (Charing Cross branch) or Piccadilly: Charing Cross / Leicester Square → Euston / Russell Square) · 3.1 km · 39 min walk
Where to eat nearby
- Hare & Tortoise (Asian · £ · Bloomsbury & Camden) · 🚶 11 min walk
Breakfast nearby
No breakfast spot within a 15-minute walk. Have breakfast near your hotel or in the centre before you go.
Other sights nearby
- Wellcome Collection · Museum · 🚶 0.8 km · 10 min walk
- The British Museum · Museum · 🚶 1.5 km · 19 min walk
- Sir John Soane's Museum · Museum · 🚶 2.0 km · 25 min walk
Add The British Library to your plan → Build a day around it with walking times and restaurants.