British Library

The new British Library, a post-modern red-brick building beside St Pancras Station in the Euston Road, was commissioned by Margaret Thatcher in 1992.

The huge collection of books was transferred from its original site at the British Museum in 1997 and the new British Library was opened to the public in spring 1999.

The piazza in front of the British Library is dominated by a huge statue by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, his version of William Blake's image of Isaac Newton, measuring the universe with his compass.

The British Library houses over 12 million books, maps and manuscripts.

The John Ritblat Gallery, one of the permanent exhibitions, houses the 'Treasures of the British Library'. This showcases the library's superb collection of rare and historic works, such as the Lindisfarne Gospels (AD 700), the Magna Carta (1215) and the Gutenburg Bible (1455).

Other permanent exhibitions include the Philatelic Exhibition, thought to be the finest display of classical stamps in the world, and the Workshop of Words, Sounds and Images, which traces the history of book production.

The British Library also holds temporary exhibitions and holds lectures, discussions and events.

At the heart of the building is the King's Library, some 65,000 volumes and 20,000 pamphlets, as well as over 400 manuscripts collected by George III. The library was presented to the nation by George IV in 1823. Housed in a six storey glass-walled tower, the King's Library has mobile shelving and internal lifts and stairs to enable staff to retrieve the books.

The working library can be seen by all those using the café and restaurant.

When the British Library was re-located here the British Museum was transformed with the creation of its 'Great Court' - London's first glass-covered public square. The British Library's original domed Round Reading Room at the centre of the Great Court was painstakingly restored to its original decoration and opened to the general public.

A pass must be obtained in advance for the National Sound Archive or Humanities Reading Room.

Guided tours, which have an admission charge, of public areas of the building on Mon, Wed and Fri at 15:00, Sat at 10:30 and 15:00. Sun and Bank Holidays tours include a visit to a reading room at 11:30 and 15:00.