Central Library UNAM, University library in Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico.
Description
The Central Library UNAM is a large university library building in Ciudad Universitaria designed with multiple floors for document storage and open study spaces for visitors. The structure combines archive areas with public reading zones in one cohesive facility.
History
The building opened in 1956 when the university library relocated from its previous location in downtown Mexico City, where it had operated for decades. This move represented a fresh start for the institution in a purpose-built modern setting.
Culture
The building's outer walls feature large murals created by Juan O'Gorman using colored tiles that tell Mexico's story from pre-Hispanic times through colonial days to the present. You can follow this visual journey simply by walking around the exterior.
Practical
The building houses millions of books, journals, newspapers, and other materials in different formats organized across its multiple levels. Visitors should be prepared to move through several floors to locate the materials they are looking for.
Did you know?
The reading rooms feature thin slabs of tecali stone that filter natural light from above while shielding the collections below from direct sunlight. This material creates a distinctive quality of light in the study areas.
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