# Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria > The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a vast reading room under a tilted glass disc on Alexandria's seafront, with antiquities and manuscripts museums. The ancient library is long gone; this is its successor, opened in 2002. Foreign visitors pay 150 EGP, or 300 EGP including museums. Open Sunday–Thursday 10:00–19:00, Saturday until 14:00, closed Fridays. Allow 90 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina - City: [Alexandria](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria), Egypt - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Library ticket (non-Egyptians): 150 EGP; students 20 EGP - Inclusive ticket (library + Antiquities and Manuscripts museums): 300 EGP; students 120 EGP - Included with the library ticket: Guided tour, Culturama show, Sadat Museum, exhibitions - Planetarium: Separate ticket — ask at the ticket office - Children: Under 4 not admitted; 4–6 free; under 16 not allowed in the main reading area - Hours: Sun–Thu 10:00–19:00, Sat 10:00–14:00; museums, tours and planetarium Sun–Thu 9:30–17:00 - Closed: Fridays - Ticket office: Port Said Street, on the city side - Payment: Bring Egyptian pounds in cash; card payment at the ticket office is not confirmed - Photos: Allowed almost everywhere, except some exhibitions - Food and drink: Not allowed inside, not even in the lockers - Coordinates: 31.20889, 29.90917 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **16 October 2002** — official inauguration of the new library (source: Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Snøhetta; Wikipedia) - **160 m** — diameter of the tilted roof disc over the reading room (source: Snøhetta; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **2,000 seats** — in the main reading room, one of the world's largest open-plan reading rooms (source: Snøhetta; ArchEyes) - **8 million books** — storage capacity of the building (source: Snøhetta; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Snøhetta** — the Norwegian practice that won the UNESCO-backed design competition (source: Snøhetta; English Wikipedia) - **Aswan granite** — clads the outer wall carved with letters and signs from the world's scripts (source: Snøhetta; Russian Wikipedia) - **120 scripts** — are represented on the granite wall (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; ArchEyes) - **1,000+ objects** — in the Antiquities Museum, from pharaonic to Islamic times (source: Bibliotheca Alexandrina; English Wikipedia) - **From the seabed** — some finds were raised from the Eastern Harbour and Abu Qir Bay (source: Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Franck Goddio Society) - **3rd century BC** — the ancient library was founded under the Ptolemies; its exact site has never been found (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia) - **2004** — Aga Khan Award for Architecture (source: Snøhetta) ## Bibliotheca Alexandrina tickets and prices Non-Egyptian adults pay **150 EGP** for the main library and students 20 EGP. That ticket already covers the guided tour of the building, the Culturama panoramic show, the Sadat Museum and the permanent exhibitions. The **300 EGP inclusive ticket** (students 120 EGP) adds the Antiquities Museum and the Manuscripts Museum. The planetarium needs its own ticket, and its price is not published online. Tickets are sold only at the ticket office on Port Said Street — there is no online sale for general admission. Payment methods are not listed officially, so carry Egyptian pounds in cash; some visitors' foreign cards work in Egypt, but don't count on it at this window. > **Closed on Fridays** On Saturdays the library closes at 14:00, and the museums, tours and planetarium run only Sunday–Thursday until 17:00. Children under 4 are not admitted, and the main reading area is for over-16s only. Leave food and drinks at the hotel — they are not allowed inside or in the lockers. ## Opening hours The main library is open **Sunday to Thursday, 10:00–19:00**, and on Saturday 10:00–14:00; it is closed on Friday. Guided tours, the museums and the planetarium keep shorter hours — Sunday to Thursday, 9:30–17:00 — so if the museums are the point of your visit, come in the morning on a weekday. A sensible slot is mid-morning: you get the reading room, a museum and the guided tour done by lunch and still have the afternoon for the Corniche and the citadel. ## Which ticket should you buy? | | Library | Inclusive | Planetarium | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Non-Egyptian adult | 150 EGP | 300 EGP | Separate — ask at the desk | | Student | 20 EGP | 120 EGP | — | | Reading room and guided tour | Yes | Yes | No | | Antiquities and Manuscripts museums | No | Yes | No | | Sadat Museum and Culturama | Yes | Yes | No | | Time needed | ≈ 1 h | 1.5–2 h | + show | Into archaeology? Get the inclusive ticket — the Antiquities Museum is the strongest part of the visit. Just here for the architecture? The library ticket is enough. ## How to get to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina 1. Start at Saad Zaghloul Square by Raml Station, the heart of the seafront. 2. Walk east along the Corniche (El-Geish Road) with the sea on your left — about 1.5 km, 20–25 minutes. 3. The blue Raml tram that used to run to Shatby is closed for reconstruction, so don't wait for it. Minibuses run along the Corniche, but walking or a ride-hail car is simpler. 4. Uber and Careem operate in Alexandria: about 5–10 minutes from Raml Station, roughly 10 minutes from Misr Station, where trains from Cairo arrive. 5. Cross to the plaza with the planetarium sphere; buy tickets on the Port Said Street side and enter from the plaza under the footbridge. ## Is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina worth visiting? Yes, for architecture and for Alexandria's archaeology. The building is the city's defining modern landmark, and the Antiquities Museum is compact, with labels in Arabic, English and French. Ninety minutes covers the reading room, one museum and the granite wall. If you are hoping to see ruins of the ancient library, there are none — here or anywhere. For ancient Alexandria, head to the Roman theatre at [Kom el-Dikka](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-dikka) and to [Pompey's Pillar](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/pompeys-pillar). Short on time? Admire the building from outside on your way along the seafront to the [Qaitbay Citadel](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/qaitbay-citadel). ## What to see inside - **The main reading room** — terraces stepping down beneath the tilted roof, lit from above through north-facing skylights rather than glare from the sea. - **The Antiquities Museum** — over a thousand objects from pharaonic to Islamic times, including finds raised from the Eastern Harbour and Abu Qir Bay and pieces excavated on this very site during construction. - **The Manuscripts Museum** — rare manuscripts and early printed books. - **The Sadat Museum** — personal belongings of President Anwar Sadat, included in the library ticket. - **Culturama** — a panoramic show on Egyptian heritage across nine projected screens. - **The granite wall** outside — letters and signs from scripts across the world. Try to spot your own alphabet. - **The planetarium** — the sphere on the plaza; shows need a separate ticket. ## What happened to the ancient Library of Alexandria? The ancient library was founded under the Ptolemies in the 3rd century BC, most likely by **Ptolemy II**, as part of the Mouseion, a community of scholars attached to the royal palace. No building and no books survive, and archaeologists have never located its exact site in the old royal quarter. It did not vanish in one great fire. Caesar's fire of 48 BC burned warehouses near the port, but the library carried on. It faded over centuries: royal patronage dried up, the royal quarter was wrecked under Aurelian in the 270s, and in 391 the Serapeum, which held a daughter collection, was destroyed — its site is now around Pompey's Pillar. The story that Caliph Omar ordered the books burned appeared centuries later and historians treat it as legend. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is not a reconstruction. It is a working research library and cultural centre built in tribute: the revival idea dates from the 1970s, the design came from a UNESCO-backed competition, and the doors opened in 2002. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It isn't Friday - [ ] On Saturday I'll be in before 14:00 - [ ] For the museums I'll arrive before 17:00 - [ ] Cash in Egyptian pounds - [ ] No food or drinks in my bag - [ ] Student card, if I have one - [ ] Kids are 4 or older > **The best photo is outside** You see the whole tilted disc from the Corniche just west of the building or from the footbridge to the university. Shoot the carved granite wall in the morning, when side light brings out the letters. ## Alexandria's history, compared Historic places in Alexandria rated by YesGo. - [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 150 EGP, 300 EGP with museums - [Citadel of Qaitbay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/qaitbay-citadel) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/abu-al-abbas-mosque) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free, between prayer times - [Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-shoqafa) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Roman Amphitheatre (Kom el-Dikka)](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-dikka) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Pompey's Pillar](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/pompeys-pillar) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Alexandria National Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/alexandria-national-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 220 EGP, students 110 EGP - [Royal Jewelry Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/royal-jewelry-museum) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 220 EGP, students 110 - [Montaza Palace and Gardens](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/montaza-palace) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 50 EGP, gardens ## Ancient and modern Alexandria in a day The Roman theatre, the national museum, the library, then a seafront walk to the citadel for sunset. 1. [Roman Amphitheatre (Kom el-Dikka)](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-dikka) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP 2. [Alexandria National Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/alexandria-national-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 220 EGP, students 110 EGP 3. [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 150 EGP, 300 EGP with museums 4. [Alexandria Corniche](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/alexandria-corniche) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 5. [Citadel of Qaitbay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/qaitbay-citadel) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP ## Good to know The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the modern library opened in 2002, not the ancient Library of Alexandria. The ruins of the Serapeum, which once held part of the ancient collection, lie by Pompey's Pillar in another part of the city. ## Tips - Come on a Sunday-to-Thursday morning so you have time for both the reading room and the museums before 17:00. - The guided tour of the building is included in the library ticket — ask at the entrance when the next group starts and in which language. - Students pay 20 EGP instead of 150, so bring a student card if you have one. - Afterwards, walk west along the [Corniche](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/alexandria-corniche) and you'll reach Qaitbay in time for sunset. - The reading room is quiet: switch your phone to silent — ringing phones can earn a small fine. ## Questions ### How much is the ticket to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina? 150 EGP for non-Egyptian adults, 20 EGP for students. The inclusive ticket with the Antiquities and Manuscripts museums is 300 EGP. The planetarium is extra. ### What are the Bibliotheca Alexandrina opening hours? Sunday–Thursday 10:00–19:00 and Saturday 10:00–14:00; closed on Friday. Museums, tours and the planetarium run Sunday–Thursday 9:30–17:00. ### Is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina open on Friday? No. Friday is the weekly closing day for the library, museums and planetarium. ### How do I get to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina? Walk about 1.5 km east along the Corniche from Raml Station (20–25 minutes), or take an Uber or Careem. The Raml tram is closed for reconstruction. ### Is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina worth visiting? Yes, for the architecture and the Antiquities Museum. It is not the ancient library and there are no ancient ruins to see — come for the modern building and the collections. ### How long do you need at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina? About 90 minutes for the reading room, one museum and the outside wall; up to two hours with both museums. ### Is this the original Library of Alexandria? No. The ancient library disappeared gradually in antiquity and its exact site is unknown. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a modern successor opened in 2002. ### Can you take photos inside? Yes, almost everywhere, including the reading room. A few exhibitions are signed as no-photo. ### Can children visit? Children under 4 are not admitted; ages 4–6 enter free. Under-16s can visit but not the main reading area. ### Do I need to book in advance? No. General admission is sold only at the ticket office on Port Said Street. ## How we checked Fares, hours, the Friday closure and visitor rules come from the official library website. Its hours page looks like a draft, but it matches the library's official flyer: Sunday–Thursday 10:00–19:00, Saturday 10:00–14:00. The planetarium price is not published officially and third-party guides disagree, so we leave it out. Payment methods at the ticket office are not stated officially. The Antiquities Museum object count differs (the library says 1,133, Wikipedia 1,316), so we say over a thousand. The reading-room area and the number of competition entries differ between sources, so we don't quote them. ## Sources - Bibliotheca Alexandrina (bibalex.org): opening hours, admission fees, visitor guidelines, Antiquities Museum, Planetarium Science Center — 03.11.2026 - Snøhetta: Bibliotheca Alexandrina project page - English and Russian Wikipedia: Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Library of Alexandria; Wikidata Q501851 - World History Encyclopedia: Library of Alexandria - ArchEyes: Bibliotheca Alexandrina by Snøhetta - Franck Goddio Society: Antiquities Museum of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina - Reuters and Global Mass Transit, 2026 — closure of the Raml tramway for reconstruction - Uber: Alexandria city page --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.