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Notice: In observance of the Federal holiday on Monday, February 17, the Jefferson Building Great Hall and exhibitions will be open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. to guests with timed-entry passes.

A Library for You

A photo shows the entrance to the Library’s newly opened David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery. Artwork that accompanies the theme of the first exhibition in the gallery, called Collecting Memories, hangs between the two entrances to the gallery.

Now open! The new David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery offers visitors a window into the Library’s collections, where you can explore some of the fascinating and special items held by the Library.

A drawing shows the design planned for the Library’s new Kislak Gallery, which includes display cases that contain fascinating objects, large images on the walls and digital panels that show various collection items.

A rendering of the main gallery of the future Jay I. Kislak Gallery of the Early Americas.

A drawing shows the design planned for the Library’s new Orientation Gallery, with a curved wall that displays various collection items that help to explore the history of the Library’s collections.

A rendering of the Living Library section located in the future Orientation Gallery. This gallery will feature collection items from across the Library of Congress.

A drawing shows the design planned for the Library’s new Education Center, which includes brightly colored stations where visitors can explore the various kinds of collection items held by the Library and learn how to use them to conduct research.

A rendering of The Source, an interactive Education Center designed for children ages 8-13 and their families.

The Library of Congress is in the process of creating an all-new visitor experience, called A Library for You, that will invite visitors to discover more of the treasures, programs and services we maintain on behalf of the American people.

Over the next few years, our 1.5 million yearly visitors will enjoy a new look and feel to the experiences and exhibitions in the renowned Thomas Jefferson Building that showcase the Library’s collections and expertise. You can see images of the exciting new spaces in the slideshow above.

Features of the new visitor experience include the newly opened David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery and gift shop, as well as a reimagined gallery exploring the early Americas, an orientation gallery, an education center and a café, which will open in the next few years.

For over 125 years, the Library has been committed to the protection and preservation of the Jefferson Building, a national treasure in its own right. The Library will create the new spaces through the thoughtful removal and replacement of existing, temporary exhibits and through repurposing unused storage spaces. The new structures and spaces will reside within the building in a similar fashion to current exhibits, and leave the historic structure and architectural details unchanged.

Given its scale and complexity, this transformation requires a dynamic collaboration between the public and private sectors. Congress has generously funded the initiative with $40 million, and $30 million more will come from private donations. We are grateful that, with this support, the Library will engage more Americans in their national library — A Library for You. Come visit the Library before and after this transition; information about events and entry are available at these links:

The new features of A Library for You are scheduled to open over the next few years, beginning in June 2024 with the David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery and the Library gift shop, followed by the Jay I. Kislak Gallery of the Early Americas, the orientation gallery, the education center and the café.

You can read more about this effort in the July/August 2023 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine and via the project pages below.