British Library

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The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest libraries. We hold over 13 million books, 920,000 journal and newspaper titles, 57 million patents and 3 million sound recordings. Open to everyone, the Library offers events, temporary exhibitions and a Treasures Gallery that displays over 200 items, including Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible and lyrics by The Beatles.

English artist and illustrator Walter Crane was born in 1845Best known for his children’s book illustrations, Crane wa...
15/08/2026

English artist and illustrator Walter Crane was born in 1845

Best known for his children’s book illustrations, Crane was inspired by a wide range of artistic styles, from Japanese colour prints and the Italian Renaissance to the work of William Morris, John Tenniel and John Ruskin.

Which influences can you spot in these works?

1. Corn, The Golden Primer. [In verse. With illustrations by Walter Crane.] 1884. Shelfmark 12805.w.33, part 2, page 26
2. Fairies, Walter Crane's Picture Books. Large series. (1901-10). 12809.w.57.
3. A Flower Wedding. Described by two wallflowers. Decorated by Walter Crane (1905). Shelfmark 12812.b.54.
4. Walter Crane's Picture Books. Large series. (1901-10). 12809.w.57.

13/08/2026

A little peek inside our Fairy Tales exhibition ✨

This is just one of the many stories waiting to be discovered before the exhibition closes on 23 August.

Watching the eclipse? You're in good company 🌕☀As we all look up at today's solar eclipse, here's how they were doing it...
12/08/2026

Watching the eclipse? You're in good company 🌕☀

As we all look up at today's solar eclipse, here's how they were doing it nearly 86 years ago*

We're off to grab our colanders for tonight - happy eclipse viewing!

📷A photograph of the Sun during a total eclipse by Unknown. Image is undated, but this may be the 1 October 1940 solar eclipse

📷Observing a solar eclipse in progress by Unknown. Image is undated, but this may be the 1 October 1940 solar eclipse

11/08/2026

Glimpse into the world of Homer's Odyssey, from Enlightenment poet Alexander Pope's hand. He translated the epic into English in 1725-26. While it wasn't all his work, the rhyming couplets are a thing to behold...

📜 Alexander Pope's Odyssey (1726), Add MS 4809.

Happy World Cat Day 🐈Cats have been making appearances in books, manuscripts and illustrations for centuries.Here are so...
08/08/2026

Happy World Cat Day 🐈

Cats have been making appearances in books, manuscripts and illustrations for centuries.

Here are some of our favourites from the collection... and some of our favourite attempts at cats...

Which one's your favourite?

1. Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. From the British Library archive. Shelfmark: 12410.r.7.
2. Book of Hours (fragmentary), c. 1320 - c. 1330. From the British Library archive. Shelfmark: Harley 6563
3. Book of Hours, 1310-1320. From the British Library archive. Shelfmark: Stowe 17
4. Mother Goose. The old nursery rhymes. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. From the British Library archive. Shelfmark: 11646.h.32.

Today's excuse to read a little poetry: it's Alfred, Lord Tennyson's birthday 🎈We're celebrating with an extract of The ...
06/08/2026

Today's excuse to read a little poetry: it's Alfred, Lord Tennyson's birthday 🎈

We're celebrating with an extract of The Palace of Art - which of his poems is your favourite?

✏ Poems by Alfred Tennyson, with illustrations by Thomas Creswick, John Everett Millais, William Holman Hunt, William Mulready, John Callcott Horsley, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Clarkson Stanfield, and Daniel Maclise. Shelfmark: 11647.e.59

📷The Portrait. no. 1-15. From the British Library Archive, London, 1877. Shelfmark: P.P.1931.pcg

What’s one of the oldest objects you’ve seen that genuinely made you stop and stare?We’ll go first: a copy of Homer’s Od...
05/08/2026

What’s one of the oldest objects you’ve seen that genuinely made you stop and stare?

We’ll go first: a copy of Homer’s Odyssey in Ancient Greek, printed in Florence in 1488 that we got to take a look at today 📚

01/08/2026

Hello, August 💛

A new month is the perfect excuse to follow your curiosity.

What topic, author or period of history have you always wanted to know more about?

31/07/2026

Friday afternoons look rather lovely from here ☀

However you're spending the weekend, we hope you find time for something that sparks your curiosity

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96 Euston Road
London
NW12

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 7:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 7:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 6pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

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