Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center located in Alexandria, Egypt.

It sits on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. This massive complex serves as a commemoration of the ancient Library of Alexandria. That original library was once one of the largest in the world before it was lost in antiquity. The modern institution officially opened on October 16, 2002. At the time of its construction, its main reading room was the largest in the world. Today, the library functions as a massive hub for research, art, and digital information.

The architecture of the complex is designed with specific, impressive features. The main reading room is a grand space covering eleven cascading levels. It sits beneath a glass-paneled roof that stands 32 meters high. This roof measures approximately 160 meters in diameter. It is tilted toward the sea in a way that resembles a sundial. The walls of the reading room are constructed from gray granite. These walls are carved with characters from 120 different scripts.

This design connects many different cultures through their written languages.

The library contains many distinct parts and specialized facilities. It has enough shelf space to hold eight million books. These books are available in several languages, including Egyptian, classical Arabic, English, and French. The complex also houses a conference center and a planetarium.

There are four museums and four art galleries for temporary exhibitions. The library also includes 15 permanent exhibitions. For specialized needs, it offers libraries for maps and multimedia. There are also dedicated spaces for children and young people. A manuscript restoration laboratory helps preserve old documents.

History shows a long process to bring this vision to life. The idea to revive the library began in 1974. A committee from Alexandria University selected a plot of land near the seafront. This location is close to where the ancient library once stood. In 1988, UNESCO organized an international architectural design competition. A Norwegian architectural office named Snøhetta won the competition. They were chosen from 524 different entries.

Construction began in 1995. After spending an additional US$220 million, the complex was finally inaugurated in 2002.

Significant donations have helped the library grow its collections. In 2009, the Bibliothèque nationale de France donated 500,000 books. This donation made the Bibliotheca Alexandrina the sixth-largest Francophone library in the world. The Internet Archive also provided a massive digital contribution. This included US$5 million in value and 10 billion web pages from over 16 million sites. It also included 1,000 archival films and 2,000 hours of television broadcasts. The library also manages 100 terabytes of data stored on 200 computers.

Several museums within the complex offer unique insights into history. The Antiquities Museum was established in 2001 and holds about 1,316 artifacts. Some of these are underwater antiquities from the Mediterranean seabed. The Manuscript Museum contains the world's largest collection of digital manuscripts. There is also the Sadat Museum, which holds personal items from President Anwar Al Sadat. These items include his Nobel Prize medal and his handwritten letters. The Taha Hussein Library provides materials for the blind and visually impaired. It uses special software to make reading possible for these users.

The library connects to broader digital and social systems. It uses a system called the Digital Assets Repository (DAR) to provide public access to digitized collections. This system was developed by the International School of Information Science. The library also serves a large student population. In fact, students from nearby universities make up 80% of the library's patrons. During the 2011 Egyptian revolution, the library was temporarily shut down. However, young adults gathered around the building to protect it from looters and vandals. This shows how much the community values the center.