As the days turn grey and drizzly, nothing beats discovering a hidden London gem that also doubles as a refuge from the rain. Forget the pub for an hour (you can grab a pint later), because there’s a space in Bloomsbury that is truly jaw-dropping, especially for book lovers.
We’re talking about the Reading Room, located right in the heart of the British Museum. You might have walked through the Great Court and marvelled at the glass roof (designed by Norman Foster), but many people don’t realise what’s inside the big circular building in the middle. It’s a place that was, for over a century, one of the most important centres of knowledge in the world.
A library fit for geniuses: The story of the Reading Room
When it first opened in 1857, this room was a marvel of mid-Victorian engineering. Designed by Sydney Smirke, its incredible dome, made of cast iron, concrete, and glass, was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome and was a technical wonder for its time. For nearly 150 years, this wasn’t just a museum piece; it was the main reading room for the British Library, which was housed inside the museum until 1997.
The list of people who studied under this magnificent dome is staggering. We’re talking about Karl Marx, who famously sat here day after day while writing Das Kapital. It was also a regular haunt for writers like Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf (who wrote about the experience), Bram Stoker (who likely did his vampire research for Dracula here), and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Even figures like Ghandi and Lenin spent time at these very desks. It’s amazing to think of the ideas that were born in this one circular space. If these walls could talk, eh?
After the British Library packed up its books and moved to its new, purpose-built home near St Pancras, the Reading Room was beautifully restored. It reopened in 2000 as the centrepiece of the new Great Court.
The Reading Room today
Our Secret London video (below) gives you a fantastic glimpse of its scale, with the light pouring in from the dome onto the original desks and thousands of books (which are still there!).
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To see it for yourself, the museum offers tours that take place every Tuesday at 11am and 12pm. It’s free and open to walk in, aside from that, although for entry to the British Museum, it’s recommended to get a timed ticket online beforehand.
While you’re at the British Museum, don’t miss the Rosetta Stone or the Parthenon sculptures. And if all that history makes you fancy a break, Bloomsbury is full of lovely garden squares and traditional pubs for a well-deserved cuppa or a pint. You could also have a wander around the independent bookshops in the area.
🏛️ Fancy a Visit? Practical Info
📍 Location: The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. The Reading Room is in the centre of the Great Court.
💸 Price: Entry to the British Museum and Reading Room is free!
⏰ Hours: The British Museum is generally open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 (with late opening on Fridays until 20:30).
📅 Access: Always check the British Museum website before you go to for the most up-to-date information on access to the Reading Room.