National Library of the Democratic Republic of Congo

The National Library of the Democratic Republic of Congo stands on Boulevard Colonel Tshatshi in Kinshasa and houses over 1 million books and extensive archives of historical photographs. The building serves as a repository for documents about the country's cultural history and identity.

The institution was founded in 1974 as part of the Ministry of Culture and Arts and gained administrative independence through a presidential decree in 1989. This development allowed the facility to expand its collections and operate as an independent cultural institution.

The collection reflects the linguistic diversity of the country and includes works on literature, arts, and traditional knowledge from different regions. Visitors can explore the intellectual history and creative expressions of Congolese people here.

The reading rooms are open to researchers and the public, where trained librarians provide assistance in locating books, periodicals, and photographs. Visitors should expect longer waits and should ask staff for help navigating the collections to find relevant materials.

The library holds around 7500 historical photographs documenting the country's political and social events, though only about one quarter of this collection has been digitized so far. This means many of these valuable images are still only accessible in their original analog formats.