Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt. Magic Rating: ***

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Sits on an area of 40,200 m² & consists of 11 levels. Home to millions of books, it has a Planetarium, Exploratorium, 3 museums, the first ever 9-projector interactive system, 7 research centres, 4 art galleries & conference centre that can seat thousands.


Planetarium Science Centre

At first, it looks like a giant dome and nothing more. We later discovered that it was a giant theatre, screening science features & documentaries. It can house 100 guests, with seats tilted backwards to give the audience a comfortable view of the 360° surrounding screen.


Planetarium & Library

This picture doesn't come close to capturing the magnificent light display, which helps illuminate the road at night.





Egyptian hieroglyphs

If you look carefully, you can see intricate hieroglyphs chiseled into the walls. A great fusion of past & present.












Floating Moat

As you walk up the stairs and past the dome, you'll be blown away by the Library's unique architecture. The surrounding water is a testament to the innovative design.



Main Library

The Library's main reading area can accommodate up to 2000 users & contains 200 study rooms. There are 6 specialised Libraries for:
1. Arts, multimedia and audio-visual materials
2. the visually impaired
3. children
4. young adults
5. microforms
6. rare books & special collections of Alexandria (largest)



Interior Lighting

To ensure maximum entry of natural sunlight, the architect designed a sloped roof of windows and sun panels. Who would have thought a Library could look so beautiful.

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