Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
121 Wall St., New Haven, Connecticut
Home to one of the world’s largest collections of rare books, the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, part of Yale University, is nearly as notable for its looks as for what it contains. A spectacular architectural achievement, the 1962 building features carved marble panels in lieu of windows, and six stories of books encased in glass at its heart.
While the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library is regularly used by Yale University students, faculty, and visiting researchers—and its reading rooms and research areas have restricted access—parts of the library are also accessible to the public.
Stopping by is a must during any campus tour of the Ivy League university. You’re welcome in the lobby exhibition hall, which displays extraordinary items from its permanent collection (including a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, John James Audubon’s Birds of America, and a 1,250-year-old print of Buddhist prayers hailing from Japan). The library also hosts a rotating schedule of temporary exhibitions on subjects related to its collection.
Food and drink are not permitted anywhere in the library.
You do not need to make advance reservations or register to visit the public areas of the library, and it’s free for all to explore.
There are no public restrooms available at the library.
The building is accessible to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
Flash photography is strictly prohibited to help protect the books.
The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library is located on Yale University’s campus, at 121 Wall Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Several bus lines, including the 271, 272, and 278, stop nearby, as does the Yale Shuttle. It’s also easy to walk there from central New Haven, and taxis and rideshare services are available as well.
The library is open to the public from morning to evening Monday–Friday, and from noon until early evening Saturday and Sunday. It’s closed on Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Friday, and during Yale’s winter break.
Once you’ve visited the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, another cultural highlight to discover is the Yale University Art Gallery. The oldest campus museum in the United States, the gallery is free and open to the public, and offers a masterpiece-packed permanent collection as well as temporary exhibitions.
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