These seven London libraries are treasure troves of ideas and knowledge, whether you’re seeking poetry, ancient manuscripts, or a glimpse of the Magna Carter.
Best Libraries to Study in London
The only thing you absolutely must know, Einstein once said, is the location of the library. On a rainy day in London, there are few places as inviting and evocative as a warm, well-stocked library to rope you into another world. Whether you want to fish out the best paperback fiction, catch a glimpse of a Shakesperan manuscript, or simply find a quiet place to study with reliable WiFi, here are the best libraries in the city.
The National Art library in the V&A museum in South Kensington is everything you’d expect from a historic English library. Mahogany woods, lovely warm lighting and a coffered ceiling – there are few places more sumptuous to tuck into a book. Founded in 1837, this historic archive has the UK’s most extensive public collection of literature on fine and decorative arts, with books on everything from fashion and painting to graphic design and photography.
It’s also home to rare items like Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Forster, which is the collection of notebooks the master painter recorded his thoughts, ideas and inventions in. It’s free to join this gorgeous library, which is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am until 5pm.
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If you’re more fascinated by the human body and the history of medicine than fine arts, you’ll feel well at home inside the Wellcome Library on Euston Road. This public library is an absolute treasure trove of fascinating books and manuscripts on everything from medieval anatomy and disease management, to more esoteric subjects like witchcraft and alchemy. It also has a range of interesting medical artefacts such as medieval surgical tools, anatomical specimens, and more strangely, Napoleon Bonaparte’s horsehair toothbrush.
Anyone can access this modern and relevant library to borrow a book, use a computer or simply find a quiet spot to study. Reading sessions can be pleasantly fuelled with coffee and cake served at the cafe on the ground floor of the Wellcome Collection. Books aside, the institution hosts wonderful free exhibitions that explore everything from the history of beauty culture, to quite simply being human.
The library is open 10 am-6 pm most days and is closed on a Sunday.
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We’ve shown you where to find esoteric books on witchcraft and fine art, but what about poetry? The National Poetry Library in the Southbank Centre is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world, and it’s free to the public to browse, read and borrow. This library was used by literary giants like Seamus Heany, Ted Hughes and Philip Larkin – the latter of whom described the place as a “pure flowering of imagination”. True bibliophiles will find everything here from first editions to audio recordings and postcards, and you may just rub shoulders with the next budding poet laureate.
This library is open from 12pm-8pm most days and is closed on a Monday.
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Kensington Central Library is broad, functional and beautiful in a classic, understated sort of way. The Grade-II listed red-brick building was opened in 1960 by the Queen Mother, and it retains a regal feeling to it with the dark woods, bright spacious layout and beautiful wood striped pillars.
On the shelves you’ll find periodicals, children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, music scores and more, so there’s something to satisfy every line of interest. The library also has a substantial local interest archive for those who want to learn more about the history of Chelsea and Kensington, where you can view old photographs, newspapers and other documents.
Kensington Central Library is free to the public and is open from 9.30am-8pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursday, and until 5pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday.
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Where to start with this brutalist, jarring academic labyrinth? The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the University of London isn’t just a postmodern feast for the eyes: it’s one of the UK’s leading research libraries, with over one million books, periodicals and other materials on its shelves. Literature at SOAS focuses on the study of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, covering anthropology, archaeology, religion, colonialism and everything in between.
Some of the more unique items at SOAS include rare maps, ancient religious texts and archive material such as personal letters and pamphlets. While the library caters primarily to students, university staff and researchers, members of the public can apply for memberships and day passes. It’s open from 8.30am-11.30pm.
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The British Library is the national library, and it’s home to some of the most important books in British history. Here you will find two of the four surviving copies of the original 1215 Magna Carter, the Codex Sinaiticus (a 4th century complete Bible manuscript), and the original manuscripts of Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.
Aside from these extraordinary artefacts, the British Library has an eye-popping 170 million books on its shelves, and the collection is growing every day. You can also find impressive collections of stamps, postcards, pamphlets, maps, drawings, and just about every other form of historical documentation you can hope you get your hands on.
The library is free to the public, but you must become a member to access the Reading Room and view certain collections. If you’re not much of a reader but would still like to visit, the British Library has a lovely cafe and shop, and it often hosts thought-provoking events and exhibitions that cater to a wide demographic. It’s open from 9.30am-8pm on weekdays and closes a little earlier on the weekend.
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Fans of George Orwell will have a personal affection for the Senate House Library, as the building inspired the fictional Ministry of Truth in his dystopian classic, 1984. Throughout the Second World War, Senate House was the HQ of the Ministry of Information, which is where his wife Eileen Blair worked (in the Censorship department, of all places).
Today, Senate House is the central library for the University of London, and it has more than two million books on its shelves. The academic focus is on arts, humanities and social sciences, so there’s plenty of philosophy, dense law books and English literature to pique your interest.
Access to this library is free to students and faculty, but the general public must buy the relevant pass. Reference passes cost £130 per year, while general public memberships cost £240 per year. The library is open from 9am-11pm on weekdays, and until 9pm on weekends.
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Final Take
A city historically rich as London is bound to be peppered with libraries big and small. These institutions are much more than physical collections of books: they democratise access to information, serve communities, and carefully preserve the written historical record. Whether you want to soak up some poetic inspiration at the National Poetry Library or feast your eyes on the ancient Magna Carter at the British Library, a London library is always worth a visit.
