What’s on

View all

News

The Adventures of Captain Gulliver title page

Bringing the Restoration and 18th - century literature to life

What literary treasures will inspire you?

Beowulf manuscript from the Cotton collection

Cotton manuscripts added to UNESCO Memory of the World UK Register

Find out more about this collection of historical and literary treasures held at the Library

Caroline Brazier

Warmest congratulations to our Chief Librarian

Caroline Brazier awarded a CBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s 2018 Birthday Honours

More news

Blogs

Medieval manuscripts blog from the British Library

A midsummer milestone

European blog from the British Library

Put on your sky-blue hat for a day at the races with Adèle Hugo

Endangered Archives blog from the British Library

A Football Team from Lesotho

More blogs

Discover

The Sherborne Missal f.276

Sherborne Missal: probably the biggest and most lavishly decorated English book surviving the 15th century

Illustration from John Ray's Book of Fishes, f.5v-6

Admire philosopher, naturalist and theologian, John Ray's intricate illustrations in his very own ‘A Book of Fishes’

Explore our Highlights

Learn

Ophelia in Hamlet

Explore Ophelia, gender and madness in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Beowulf

David Crystal charts the evolution of Old English through the 700 years it has been written and spoken

More Learning resources

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

Work for the British Library

Current vacancies and other opportunities – and how to apply

Shop

washbag london

Literary London Washbag

£20.95

bloomsbury tote bag

Literary London Tote Bag

£12.00

Best seller

skyline chess

London Skyline Chess Set

£95.00

london tt

Literary London Tea Towel

£9.95

Visit our Shop