Sights · Our pick in London
The British Library
Treasures of the written word
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Peter Barr · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The British Library
The British Library, beside St Pancras station, is the national library of the United Kingdom, housed in a red-brick building by Colin St John Wilson completed in 1997. Its Treasures gallery displays manuscripts, maps and printed books, from Magna Carta and early Bibles to Shakespeare and handwritten Beatles lyrics. The six-storey King’s Library tower stands at the centre of the building. Exhibitions are ticketed; King’s Cross St Pancras and Euston stations are next door.
Why it's on our list
- Treasures gallery
- Magna Carta
- Exhibitions
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The British Library before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to The British Library, as the crow flies.
- St Pancras London Hotel0.1 mi2 min walk
- Kimpton Fitzroy London0.5 mi10 min walk
- Rosewood London0.9 mi18 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from The British Library are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- King's Cross St PancrasMetropolitanNorthernPiccadillyCircleVictoriaHammersmith & City0.2 mi3 min walk
- St Pancras InternationalNational Rail0.2 mi3 min walk
- London King's CrossNational Rail0.3 mi5 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Pancras Road0.1 mi3 min walk
- Taxi rank, Battle Bridge Place0.2 mi3 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- The British Museum0.7 miWalk 14 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Covent Garden1.2 miWalk 25 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Leicester Square1.3 miWalk 27 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Trafalgar Square1.5 miWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- London Eye1.9 miWalk 37 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Westminster Abbey2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Buckingham Palace2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min
- The Shard2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 21 min
- Harrods2.6 miCycle 17 minCar or taxi 22 min
- Tower of London2.7 miCycle 17 minCar or taxi 23 min
Main rail terminals
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)0.2 miWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras0.2 miWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Euston0.3 miWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Charing Cross1.5 miWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Waterloo1.9 miWalk 39 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Liverpool Street2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Paddington2.3 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Victoria2.4 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 21 min
- London Bridge2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 22 min