National Library of Laos, National library in Vientiane, Laos.
The National Library of Laos is the main public library of the country, situated on a corner plot at the junction of Thanon Setthathirat and Thanon Pangkham in Vientiane. The building contains reading rooms, a collection of printed books and digital holdings, and serves as the head of a network of branches across the country.
The institution opened in 1956 and for several decades shared its space with a museum and an anthropology department. In 1988 it moved into its own building, becoming a fully independent institution.
The library holds old Lao manuscripts written on palm leaves, alongside Sanskrit texts that belong to the oldest written records in the country. Visitors who enter the reading rooms can see how traditional scripts and modern archiving sit side by side.
The building stands on a clear corner in central Vientiane and is easy to reach on foot from most of the older part of the city. It is worth checking in advance which services are open to general visitors, as some areas may be reserved for researchers.
Part of the digital collection is stored in a partner library in Berlin as a safeguard against loss. This makes Berlin an unlikely home for a copy of some of the oldest written records from Laos.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
