Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a modern library and cultural centre on Alexandria’s waterfront, inaugurated in 2002 as a commemoration of the ancient Library of Alexandria. The project is an international cultural and research hub combining a major reading room, museums, and lecture spaces.

Facilities include large public reading rooms, manuscript and archival collections, exhibition spaces devoted to the history of Alexandria, and a planetarium and science centre. The building’s distinctive tilting disk design and waterfront location make it a prominent contemporary landmark.

The complex was constructed as a multinational effort and serves as a regional centre for scholarship, public programmes and cultural events.

It occupies a prominent site on Alexandria’s eastern harbour along the Corniche, facing the Mediterranean and within the modern city.

• Opening and design: Opened in 2002 as an international project to revive the spirit of the ancient library, with a striking circular design by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta.

What to See #

• Main reading room: A domed, circular reading space with tiered seating and a large central reading room designed to house millions of volumes and provide general public access.
• Manuscripts and Special Collections: Houses preserved manuscripts, rare books and specialised archival collections with conservation facilities for research and scholarly access.
• Antiquities and History Museum: A museum presenting artefacts and exhibitions on the history of the ancient Library of Alexandria and the city's cultural past, integrated into the library complex.
• Planetarium and science centre: An attached planetarium and science centre offering public astronomy shows and educational programmes as part of the cultural complex.