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 Soutenez Saint-Louis National Library of France Search Form Search CULTURAL EVENTS COLLECTIONS AND SERVICES THE BNF PROFESSIONALS RESOURCES RSS Blogs Newsletters Facebook Facebook pages Twitter Twitter accounts Dailymotion chanel Youtube chanel iTunes account Instagram account THE BNF Home The BnF About the Library The sites Richelieu-Louvois Library Practical information About the Library History of the BnF Missions The sites François-Mitterrand Library Richelieu-Louvois Library Arsenal Library Opera Library Maison Jean Vilar Preservation services Renovation work at Richelieu Library 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, also called the Richelieu quadrilateral area and located 5, rue Vivienne, at the heart of Paris city, is the historic cradle of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The building is being refurbished. See also Visite virtuelle du site Richelieu Collections Architecture Renovation work of the Richelieu quadrilateral area 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; Collections of music and performing arts; Maps and plans; Coins, medals and antiques. See also Collections by subjects 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. Renovation work of the Richelieu quadrilateral area The Labrouste reading room during renovation; Richelieu Library © Jean-Christophe Ballot / BnF Major alterations concerning the Richelieu quadrilateral area have started in 2010; it is planned to last between 7 and 8 years. The renovation programme aims to modernize and re-organize facilities to improve preservation conditions and offer researchers better working conditions. The refurbished quadrilateral area will also house the libraries of the recently created Institut de l’histoire de l’art and the one of the École nationale des Chartes. For more info Renovation work at Richelieu Library Thursday, January 29, 2015 SEE ALSO Visite Parcours découverte du site Richelieu La visite présente les espaces historiques, le musée des monnaies et médailles et commente les importants travaux de modernistation en cours. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Address and transports - Richelieu-Louvois Library Plan de la Bibliothèque de recherche (Richelieu-Louvois) Research Library: admission and reader’s cards rates Consulting documents at Richelieu Library PARTAGEZ © BnF 2015 Informations légales Crédits