Research facility of global renown
With 180,000 objects, the Department of Papyri of the Austrian National Library is one of the largest and most important collections of ancient manuscripts in the world. It holds texts written on papyrus and other writing material of former times such as parchment, ostraca, leather and wood panels. Every one of our objects is a unique original document from ancient times. A representative selection is to be seen at the » Papyrus Museum.
The reading rooms at the Library at Heldenplatz are closed on public holidays – and therefore also on Ascension Day (Thursday May 30), Pentecost (Sunday June 9 and Monday June 10) as well as on Corpus Christi (Thursday June 20). This is also valid for the reading rooms of our Departments. The museums are open on a regular basis – from June also on Mondays again.