Musée de la BnF, National library museum in 2nd arrondissement, France.
The Musée de la BnF is a museum space in the Site Richelieu-Louvois that displays French literary heritage through manuscripts, rare books, and precious documents. The rooms are spacious and arranged to invite browsing and discovery of the collections.
The museum opened in 2022 after extensive restoration that took more than a decade. The collection itself traces back to the royal library, which is hundreds of years older.
The Mazarin Gallery displays medieval prayer books and original manuscripts that show how French people recorded their thoughts and stories across centuries. You also see the throne of King Dagobert, an object that connects power with knowledge and learning.
Visitors should allow time to explore the different galleries at their own pace. It helps to read the information panels along the way, as they provide context for the displayed objects.
The Salle Ovale is a public reading room that gives access to thousands of books you can physically browse and handle. This space lets visitors work like readers in a real library, rather than just viewing exhibits.
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