Historic Beautiful French Library to Open to the Public in 2025

Nicknamed The Sistine Chapel, the library of the French National Assembly is set to reopen this Spring after an entire year of restoration work. Because this is such a special occasion, the French Institution has opted to make this jewel of the Palais Bourbon accessible to the general public.

What Is the National Assembly Library?

Generally speaking, National Assembly libraries serve the needs of Parliament or legislature, acting as a resource for members or staff. While some institutions also serve as a public library, their focus is to provide research materials and reference services that support the intricate decision-making of the national assembly. These resources may include legal documents, government publications, and other related materials.

In France, the library of the French National Assembly is located in the Palais Bourbon, the former palace of the Duchess of Bourbon created in 1796 during the Directory period of the French Revolution. The library was designed by architect Jules de Joly and built against the side of the original palace in 1830. Today, in total, the library houses nearly 700,000 volumes in French, spanning topics such as law, political science, history, economics, and social sciences.

Spotted: Famous Art

Book lovers and art lovers alike will fall in love here as the library features a famous art collection that includes the art of Eugene Delacroix, including the Salon du Roi.

Eugene Delacroix

A prominent Romantic artist of the time, Eugene Delacroix, was commissioned to decorate the library. Between 1838 and 184,7 he painted what we now know as the five central cupolas and the two end bays, or Cul-de-fours, of the library’s reading room.

These paintings encompass none other than various aspects of human knowledge – very fitting for a reading room, if we do say so ourselves.

In the central cupolas visitors will spot art that depicts poetry, such as “Alexander and the Poems of Homer,” theology, such as “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist,” Legislation such as, “Demosthenes Haranguing the Sea,” history such as “Socrates and His Demon, and science, such as “Death of Pliny the Elder.” The end bays, or Cul-de-Fours, depict only two things: war and peace.

Salon du Roi

Now known as the Salon Delacroix, designed and executed by Eugene Delacroix, this room features four main allegorical figures: justice, agriculture, industry, and war. The room also includes lunettes with bas-reliefs depicting the Loire, Rhine, Seine, Rhone, Garonne and Saone rivers.

Famous Books and Documents

When it comes to research, legislative and political aspects specifically, with hundreds of thousands of books and documents, the National Assembly Library of France is a haven for anyone interested in French history, but if we’re talking KEY holdings within the library, the following pieces come to mind:

• The French Constitution and Legislative Texts: These include various versions of the French Constitution, laws, and significant political documents that reflect the development of the French Republic.
• Pieces by French Enlightenment philosophers whose work greatly impacted the French Revolution, such as Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu, and more.
• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, perhaps one of the most significant documents housed in the library.
• Historical French literature including works by Victor Hugo, Honore de Balzac, Emile Zola, and others who had an impact on French politics and/or society.
• The minutes of the trial of Joan of Arc.

The Grand Reopening

For the last year, the library has been undergoing renovations, most of which was on the roof painted by Eugene Delacroix, among a few other parts of the building, so for the first time, on April 10th, 2025, the library will open its doors to the public.

The President of the National Assembly would like to make it possible for people to visit this historic building free of charge by way of free guided tours. To book a tour, registration is required and available on the National Assembly website.

The More You Know

Know before you go, here are a few key points about the iconic institution.

• The library has its origins in the late 18th century and the library’s purpose was to support the work of deputies and provide resources for their legislative activities.
• The National Assembly Library is located inside the Palais Bourbon and is a stunning example of French neoclassical architecture.
• Unlike many other national libraries, this particular library primarily serves the members of the French National Assembly and authorized researchers and is typically not open to the general public.
• The library has faced its fair share of challenges throughout the years, including being severely damaged by fires.
• Any room known as a “reading room” sounds like a little bit of heaven, but this gorgeous space truly is with its high ceilings, intricate woodwork, and large windows that provide plenty of natural light.