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What’s on

Face of Alexander the Great statue opened to reveal a pink elephant, a snake, a horse and a ship.

Alexander the Great: The Making of a Myth

Fri 21 Oct 2022 - Sun 19 Feb 2023

Gold

Fri 20 May - Sun 2 Oct 2022

Treasures of the British Library. Discover stories that shape the world.

Treasures of the British Library

Free

Composite of the speakers in the Polari event

Polari Prize shortlist showcase

Mon 10 Oct 2022

Sold out

Composite of the panelists and book cover

Medusa's Story

Mon 26 Sep 2022

Antonia Fraser

An Appreciation of Antonia Fraser at 90

Today

Black and white publicity shot of The Four Tops

I'll Be There: An Evening with Duke Fakir of The Four Tops

Mon 3 Oct 2022

All events and exhibitions

News

Web maintenance at the British Library

WiFi and delivery updates

There may be some disruption to our services over the next few weeks.

Magnifying glass on computer

Access more online content

We've just added over 20 million items that can be accessed remotely with your Reader Pass, with thanks to the publishers…

Oil painting of an industrial scene with smoke emanating from chimneys

See our new exhibition at Leeds City Museum

Living with Machines is a free exhibition revisiting the history of the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

Blogs

Photo of the King's Library at the British Library, credit Luca Sage

The First Lady of Ukraine joins us to launch 'Books Without Borders'

Sound and Vision blog from the British Library

Recording of the week: The Rite of Spring

Untold Lives blog from the British Library

Henry Trimmer – JMW Turner’s Lifelong Friend

Learn

Preview of the Black literature timeline poster, showing text entries by date, portraits and a tablet featuring images of book covers and handwritten manuscripts

Collage of photograph of Andrea Levy's parents and one of her manuscripts

‘How come England did not know me?’: Recording Andrea Levy for Authors’ Lives

More Learning resources

Discover

A Description of Three Hundred Animals [page: frontispiece and title page]

The Devonshire Manuscript

Explore this hand-written volume, known as the Devonshire Manuscript

Explore our Highlights

Get started

Get started at the British Library, photo of a Reading Room

Find out how to get a Reader Pass

Support us

Support the British Library

Help grow, protect and share our collection

Business support

Business support at the British Library

We can help you start, run and grow your business

Work with us

Students working in the Library

Current vacancies and other opportunities – and how to apply