Cambridge University Library
Cambridge
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to the Cambridge University Library, a monumental structure that stands as one of the world's greatest repositories of human knowledge. As you approach this imposing building, you are looking at a masterpiece of…
Listen in the app2The Great Tower — Legend and Reality
The tower of the Cambridge University Library is an inescapable part of the city's skyline, standing seventeen stories tall. For decades, a persistent student legend claimed that the tower was filled with pornography—a salacious…
Listen in the app3The South Corridor — A Link to the Past
Walking along the South Corridor, you experience the elegant transition between the library's modern exterior and its traditional heart. This wide, light-filled walkway was designed by Scott to provide a seamless route to the…
Listen in the app4The Anderson Room — The Music of Manuscripts
The Anderson Room is a grand space that serves as a sanctuary for music scholars. When the library first opened in 1934, this was the manuscripts reading room. …
Listen in the app5The Keynes Room — The Bibliophile's Study
The Keynes Room is perhaps the most intimate and atmospheric space in the library. Named for Sir Geoffrey Keynes—a surgeon, bibliophile, and brother of the famous economist John Maynard Keynes—this room is designed to look and…
Listen in the app6The Main Reading Room — The Heart of Scholarship
We now pass through the awe-inspiring open filigree bronze and aluminum gates into the Main Reading Room. This is the heart of the library's daily life. …
Listen in the app7The Inner Courtyards — Spaces for Contemplation
Finally, we step out into one of the inner courtyards. Scott's design incorporates several of these open-air spaces, which serve two critical purposes. …
Listen in the app8Closing
Our journey through the Cambridge University Library concludes here, but the knowledge contained within these walls is infinite. We have explored the industrial grandeur of Giles Gilbert Scott's architecture, from the mysterious…
Listen in the app
What is Cambridge University Library?
Cambridge University Library is a place in Cambridge with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Cambridge |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 52.2052, 0.1081 |
| Last updated |
