You don’t have to be a bibliophile to appreciate the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library in Connecticut. This absolute marvel of a building is one of the largest rare book collections in the world. Located on Yale’s campus, the library is currently open only to Yale students and staff. Not only does this library in Connecticut contain some incredible literary gems and rare books, but the building itself is also amazing.
The building is architecturally stunning and has a unique design. Your eye is immediately drawn to the six-story glass book tower.
Jiang Li/Google Maps
Extreme care is taken to ensure that the valuable collections are kept in pristine condition.
Megan Wilcox/Google Maps The building’s design shields the books from harmful sunlight. Temperature and humidity controls keep conditions inside the library constant. There are extensive fire-control systems that will extinguish any flames. Visitors are now observed via video surveillance after a 2005 incident in which an antique dealer tried to slice maps out of books.
To prevent infestation from paper-eating insects, the library freezes all new books and documents at sub-zero temperatures for three days.
Jagadeesan Harikrishnan/Google Maps
Several display cases are placed on the main floor that are open for public viewing. The displays change frequently, but one popular exhibit is the Gutenberg Bible, one of just 48 existing copies.
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library/Facebook The Gutenberg Bible is famous for being the first mass-produced major book. The printing press completely changed the world of literature and made books much more affordable.
The Beinecke Library contains many fascinating pieces. This Indonesian manuscript is written on scraps of bark and tells shamans how to read the future from a chicken’s entrails.
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
There are also plenty of paintings and other gems within the collections. Here’s a view of New Haven from 1879.
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library/Facebook
The main book tower has 200,000 volumes, and Beinecke’s underground collection is over 1,000,000 books. The building also houses thousands of rare manuscripts and paintings.
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library/Facebook
For more information about the fascinating Beinecke Library of rare books in Connecticut, check out their website. There are even Digital Collections you can browse online.
Jiang Li/Google Maps
Megan Wilcox/Google Maps
The building’s design shields the books from harmful sunlight. Temperature and humidity controls keep conditions inside the library constant. There are extensive fire-control systems that will extinguish any flames. Visitors are now observed via video surveillance after a 2005 incident in which an antique dealer tried to slice maps out of books.
Jagadeesan Harikrishnan/Google Maps
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library/Facebook
The Gutenberg Bible is famous for being the first mass-produced major book. The printing press completely changed the world of literature and made books much more affordable.
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Beinecke Rare Book Library, 121 Wall St, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
