Whether you’re looking for somewhere to work or are on the hunt for exciting things to do in the city, the local library often gets overlooked, with so many must-see gems all over the place! And, if you’ve ever wondered about the best of the best, a recent study by the language learning platform Preply has put together a list of the most popular in the world, based on Google review scores, Wikipedia page views, and the number of social media posts.
From historic archives to contemporary book spaces, there are so many spectacular libraries that have inspired people for centuries. But which of the world’s libraries are the most iconic? Only two British libraries have made it on this exclusive list of learning, with an unexpected London addition coming in at number sixteen.
What London library made the list?
Surprisingly, the Reading Room at the British Museum is London’s offering in this comprehensive study, boasting a Google rating of 4.7, and over a quarter of a million Wikipedia page views.
The renowned Reading Room stands right in the heart of the museum, located smack-bang in the centre of their iconic Great Court. It dates back to 1857 when the construction was finally complete, and has since been considered one of the greatest learning centres in the city.
With a fabulous design by Sydney Smirke (1798–1877), work on the Reading Room began in 1854, taking only three years to build. The room was inspired by the domed Pantheon in Rome, and contained three miles of bookcases and 25 miles of shelving.
Those who originally wished to use the library had to apply in writing and were issued a reader’s ticket by the Principal Librarian. Famous people who were granted access include Karl Marx, Lenin (who signed in under the name Jacob Richter), as well as iconic novelists such as Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Nowadays, it’s home to the Museum’s archive, which is available for students and researchers to access. It’s also been through several restoration and preservation projects, including the epic transformative restoration in 1997, which concluded with a reopening in the year 2000, allowing all museum visitors to visit the library for the very first time.
What other must-visit libraries made the list?
With the Reading Room at the British Museum coming in at number sixteen out of twenty, it looks like there’s some stiff competition when it comes to lovely libraries. The only other British inclusion takes us to Oxford, with their iconic Bodleian Library coming in at number four, making it the most popular European entry in the study.
It had an epic 4.6 rating on Google when the study was conducted, as well as over one million Wikipedia page views.
However, it’s the United States that dominates the rankings, taking seven places in the top fifteen alone. The Library of Congress in D.C. takes the top spot with 3.9 million views on Wikipedia. Other honourable mentions include China’s Tianjin Binhai Library, and the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.
So, whether you’re looking for somewhere to inspire your creativity or are on the hunt for hidden gems on you’re next trip, be sure to check out what libraries are available to you. You might just discover something incredible.