Royal Library of Belgium, National library in Mont des Arts district, Brussels, Belgium.
The Royal Library of Belgium, also known as KBR, is the national library of the country, located in the Mont des Arts district in central Brussels. It holds printed books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and drawings from Belgium and across Europe.
The institution was formally founded in 1837, but its origins go back to the Library of the Dukes of Burgundy, which took shape in the 15th century. That medieval collection became the foundation of what grew into the national library over the following centuries.
The reading rooms are open to anyone who registers, and locals use them regularly for research, study, and quiet work. The library also hosts temporary exhibitions that draw in visitors who are not researchers.
The library is open on weekdays and Saturdays, and access to the reading rooms requires a free registration in advance. The KBR Museum and temporary exhibitions can be visited without any registration.
The KBR holds one of the largest collections of prints and drawings in Europe, with works by artists such as Bruegel and Rubens that are rarely shown in public. These pieces are kept in the Print Room, which researchers can consult by appointment.
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