Around the world, governments found national libraries in order to archive its citizens’ most important writings, art and music. Less concerned with lending out books than a typical public or university library, national libraries tell the story of a country through rare publications and primary documents, like photographs, maps, audio recordings and letters.
But it’s not just what they contain that matters. National libraries themselves are a reflection of the country they serve; their architecture can offer visions of both the nation’s history and its future. Here’s a selection of the world’s most interesting national libraries: