Go to content [Accesskey 's'] Complements Menu Search [Accesskey '4'] Accessibility [Accesskey '5'] Keyboard shortcuts sitemap [Accesskey '3'] contact [Accesskey '7'] Visitors with disabilities Español Français Deutsch Italiano Português Русский عربي 中文 日本語 Aide sitemap Write to BnF Espace personnel Inscription & billetterie National Library of France Soutenez Richelieu Search THE BNF COLLECTIONS AND SERVICES CULTURAL EVENTS PROFESSIONALS RESOURCES BnF RSS feeds BnF Blogs BnF Newsletters Follow us on Facebook BnF Facebook pages Follow us on Twitter BnF Twitter accounts Dailymotion BnF chanel Youtube BnF chanel iTunes-U BnF account Instagram account Shorten the BnF URLs THE BNF Home The BnF About the Library The sites Richelieu-Louvois Library Practical information About the Library History of the BnF Missions and projects The sites François-Mitterrand Library Richelieu-Louvois Library Arsenal Library Opera Library Maison Jean Vilar Preservation services Departments Richelieu renovation project The Richelieu-Louvois Library Today, the collections of the Bibliothèque nationale de France are housed in two different places: the François-Mitterrand Library and the Richelieu Library. The Richelieu Library located 58, rue de Richelieu, at the heart of Paris city, is the historic cradle of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Renamed “Richelieu, bibliothèques, musée, galeries”, the Richelieu Library now also includes the libraries of the Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art and the École nationale des Chartes. The Louvois Library, close to the Richelieu Library and located 2, rue de Louvois, houses the Music Department. Collections Architecture Richelieu renovation project Collections Click images for a larger view The following collections are available at Richelieu Library. Manuscripts: from the earliest human writing to manuscripts of contemporary writers; Prints and photographs; Maps and plans; Performing arts; Coins, medals and antiques; Collections of music (Louvois site). See also Collections by subjects To be noted The collections can be consulted from Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Department of Maps and Plans is located in Room R (Research Library - Rez-de-jardin level) at François-Mitterrand Library until the reopening of its renovated spaces at Richelieu Library, planned for 2020. Architecture Click images for a larger view The current quadrilateral area is organized around the rues de Richelieu, Colbert, Vivienne and des Petits-Champs. The Library has expanded its facilities over this area, from the 18th century until now. During the second half of the 17th century, the quadrilateral area was made up of the Palais Mazarin, the Hôtel Tubeuf, the Mansart gallery and two buildings housing for the first time the Royal Library: ‘the houses at the end of the gardens’ belonged to Colbert. The library was set up in the quadrilateral area during the first half of the 18th century. From 1854 to 1875, it is architect Henri Labrouste, who had formerly designed the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, who creates the areas specifically adapted to the running of the library, mainly a reading room known as Labrouste reading room, as well as the main bookstore dedicated to printed books. Then, from 1875 to 1932, Jean-Louis Pascal and Alfred Recoura build and complete a new reading room: the Oval room. Between 1932 and 1955, to answer the growth of collections, infil operations (excavation, filling of courtyards, raising of certain places) are managed by Michel Roux-Spitz. Eventually, a reading room housing the Manuscripts Department is created in 1958 and various fitting-outs are made until 1977 in order to provide enough storing areas for all the collections. At last, the project of new building in the Tolbiac district allows to house the collections both at François-Mitterrand Library and at Richelieu Library. The re-organization of the departments’ collections left in the quadrilateral area was completed in 1997. Richelieu renovation project La salle des Manuscrits en travaux, 2010 © Jean-Christophe Ballot / BnF This major renovation work started in 2009 at Richelieu Library. It aims to: rehabilitate the building and its equipments renew and develop the services proposed to users consolidate the library as a scientific and cultural pole of expertise open the Richelieu Library to a larger audience For more info Richelieu renovation project La rénovation Richelieu en vidéos Monday, January 30, 2017 PRACTICAL INFORMATION Address and transports - Richelieu-Louvois Library Reading rooms opening hours: Richelieu-Louvois Library Plan de la Bibliothèque de recherche (Richelieu-Louvois) Research Libraries: admission and reader’s cards rates Consulting documents at Richelieu Library PARTAGEZ © BnF 2017 Informations légales Crédits Accessibilité du site bnf.fr