National Library Museum

The Museum of the National Library of Spain, located in the Salamanca district of Madrid, is a cultural and historical center of great importance. Housed within the National Library of Spain, this museum offers visitors an immersion into the history of writing, books, and librarianship, as well as presenting a vast collection of manuscripts, incunabula, rare books, and historical documents. The National Library of Spain was founded in 1712 by Philip V as the Royal Library, with the intention of collecting and preserving all works published in Spain. Over the centuries, the collection has significantly expanded, including not only Spanish works but also a wide range of international texts. The current headquarters, designed by Francisco Jareño and inaugurated in 1896, is a remarkable example of neoclassical architecture. The building itself is a historic monument, located along the Paseo de Recoletos, and represents one of the city’s main cultural landmarks. The Museum of the National Library, inaugurated in 1994, is located on the underground floor of the building and extends across several exhibition rooms. Its mission is to promote knowledge of Spain’s bibliographic and documentary heritage. Among its most precious collections are medieval manuscripts, incunabula (books printed before 1501), ancient maps, and first editions of fundamental literary works. One of the most fascinating elements of the museum is its collection of incunabula, which includes some of the first books printed in Europe, including works by Johannes Gutenberg. These books offer a unique window into the transition from manual writing to mechanical printing, a change that revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge worldwide. From an artistic point of view, the museum boasts a collection of artworks related to the world of books and writing. Among these are portraits of illustrious authors and artists, as well as illustrations of ancient books that showcase the beauty and complexity of typographic and illustrative art. These pieces not only decorate the museum but also enrich the understanding of the history of the book as an art object.