The collection contains a mind boggling 121 million items. Its building
house more than 18 million catalogued books, 54 million manuscripts, 12
million prints and photographs, 2.5 million audio holdings, more than
700,000 movies and videotapes, musical instruments from the 1700s and the
letters and papers of everyone from George Washington to Groucho Marx. The
library offers a year round program of free concerts, lectures and poetry
reading and houses the copyright office. Just as impressive as the scope of
the library's holdings is the building itself. The ornate Italian
Renaissance - style Thomas Jefferson Building was erected between 1888 and
1897 to hold the burgeoning collection and establish America as a cultured
nation with magnificent institutions equal to anything in Europe. Fifty two
painters and sculptors worked for 18 years on its interior. There are floor
mosaics of Italian marbel allegorical paintings on the overhead vaults more
than 100 murals, and humerous ornamental cornucopias, ribbons, virves and
garlands within. The buildings exterior has 42 granite sculptures and yards
of basreliefs. Especially impressive are the exquisite marble Great Hall and
the Main Reading Room, the latter under a 160 foot dome. The Jefferson
Building recently underwent an $ 81.5 million 12 year overhaul reopening to
the public in 1997.
Hours: Madison Building Mon - Fri: 8.30am to 9.30am,
Sat : 8.30am - 6.30pm
Jefferson Building : Mon - Sat : 10am to 5.30
Tours of the Great Hall : Mon to Fri 10.30am and 11.30am an 1.30,2.30 and
3.30pam,
Sat 10.30 and 11.30am and 1.30 and 2.30pm Address: 1st St SE
Location: Between Independence Ave and E. Capitol st
Phone: 207/707 - 8000 |
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