A trip to the british reading room
Former Library Communications Intern Katie (Gilbert) Linder toured The British Museum while on her honeymoon. Katie and her husband Jon spent four hours touring the expansive museum and saw approximately one-tenth of the exhibits. She sent some pictures of the Reading Room, formerly known as the British Library. It is a very large room in the center of the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court. The Reading Room was restored to the original 1857 appearance and opened to the public in December 2000. When it was first built, the reading room was considered one of the great sights in London.
A study area within the reading room allows patrons to browse a few titles while enjoying the detailed decor.
A view of the many levels of books. Glass covers all the bookcases to protect the books and shelves. The reading room also houses the Paul Hamlyn Library collection which includes public reference materials, many relating to exhibits and collections elsewhere in the museum. Patrons are able to browse these materials to learn more about what they saw in the museum.
A view of the reading room and the large windows which reveal the Great Court. The reading room is in the middle of the Great Court, which is the largest public covered square in Europe. The roof covering the Great Court is made of glass and steel.
Photos courtesy Katie Linder