London, England
I’ve been asked by a lot of people about my favorite place to visit in London. This is hard to advise on as there are so many great locations within the city, and people’s interests will encourage them to choose different attractions. For me, it is a tie between the Tower of London and the British Library. While the British Library has a staggering collection of over 170 million items (and growing), many of the most precious are found in the Treasures Gallery.
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A visit to the Treasures Gallery is an hour well spent, as you get to see so many historical texts in one location. The collection has one of the oldest copies of the New Testament and of the Quran in existence. An original copy of the Magna Carta is here, a document forced on King John of England, leading to a government of self-rule. Some of the earliest printed collections of Shakespeare’s plays are present, as well as a Gutenberg Bible, the product of movable type that changed the world. Handwritten lyrics by Beethoven and Handel are present, as are handwritten manuscripts such as Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ For me, one of the most impactful travel moments in my life was listening to ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles while reading Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics right in front of me behind glass.
The Treasures Gallery might be the most impressive collection of printed texts anywhere in the world. Do allow for some time to visit and look through the impressive offerings on display. The gallery is kind of dark (to preserve the texts), and all the texts are covered with glass, so any pictures would reflect. I could not remember whether you are allowed to take photos of the collection, but with the glare from the glass, you might be better off using someone else’s photos or videos.
As for me, I’ve been twice and would have taken the boys in 2024 if the collection was not closed for the Christmas holidays. The only cost is if you go to a special exhibit. In 2015, the Magna Carta was in a separate exhibit celebrating its 800th anniversary. The exhibits rotate from time to time based on interest.
The British Library is also a nice, low-key destination in London. The building is massive and comfortable, offering a great place to find a cozy spot to read or an impressive space to conduct research. Take some time to stop by and enjoy the Treasures of the British Library and appreciate the British desire to catalog, record, and save knowledge and texts from around the globe. The British Library is one of my favorite places to go in one of my favorite cities, so take advantage of any chance you have to visit the Treasures Gallery.