The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a vast cultural and academic complex that revives the spirit of the ancient Great Library of Alexandria, opened in 2002 on the Mediterranean Corniche. Designed by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta after an international competition, it is famous for its tilted disc-shaped roof (about 160 m across) leaning toward the sea and its grey granite exterior wall carved with characters from some 120 of the world's scripts. Beyond the main library it houses antiquities and manuscript museums, a planetarium, and the panoramic Culturama, making it a hands-on 'experience' attraction that remains fully open in 2026. It works well as a half-day visit combining books, architecture, and sweeping sea views.
The main reading room - roughly 20,000 m² across eleven cascading terraces, one of the world's largest open reading halls, lit by a north-facing sloped roof
The grey granite exterior wall hand-carved with characters from about 120 world scripts, beneath a sun-facing tilted glass disc roof
The Antiquities Museum and Manuscripts Museum, where you can see Egyptian artefacts alongside a working manuscript-restoration collection
Immersive shows: the nine-screen panoramic Culturama and the Planetarium/Science Center
The reflecting pool and plaza overlooking the Eastern Harbour, tying the site to Alexandria's seafront promenade
Good to know
SafetyWatch for pickpockets in crowded spots such as the Corniche and the Raml tram, and keep your bag in front of you. It is safer to walk the seafront at night with company.
CautionBe wary of touts near the entrance offering a 'free guide' or 'special entry,' and of taxis that refuse to use the meter and overcharge. Buy tickets only at the on-site box office or the official online ticketing site.
RulesThis is a working library, so quiet is required, and there is a security and bag check at the entrance. Tripods and professional cameras carry extra fees or restrictions, and the museum inclusive ticket and Planetarium are ticketed separately.
MannersEgypt is generally conservative, so modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is a safe choice. In the reading rooms keep your voice down out of respect for readers, and avoid photographing people up close.
SeasonSummer (June-September) is hot and humid, so bring water and a hat; winter (December-February) can be rainy and windy. During Ramadan, opening and guided-tour hours may be shortened, so check the current schedule before you go.
MannersSmall tips (baksheesh) are customary in Egypt, so it helps to carry some low-denomination Egyptian pounds in cash for restrooms, help with bags, and similar small services.
Practical info
It sits in El Shatby on the Corniche seafront road, close to the Raml tram station in central Alexandria, about a 10-minute walk or taxi ride from Raml. Opening hours and guided-tour times vary by day of the week and can change (for example around Fridays), so confirm the latest details on the official online ticketing site along with fares such as the non-Egyptian main-library adult ticket (about EGP 150), the museum inclusive ticket (about EGP 300), and the separately ticketed Planetarium.
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