Facts and Figures
The Site
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is located on a magnificent site in the Eastern Harbor, facing the sea to the north, and the University of Alexandria Complex on its southern side. It overlooks the Silsilah Peninsula. It is very close to the location of the Ancient Library in the Brucheion (the Ancient Royal Quarter), as verified by the 1993 archeological survey.
The Library receives one million visitors a year (750,000 day visits and 250,000 reader visits), and holds some 500 cultural events every year.
The Library complex (total area 40,200m2) is composed of:
MAIN LIBRARY BUILDING
Number of levels: 11
Main Reading Area
It occupies seven levels, from B4 to F2
It can accommodate up to 2000 users, and contains
100 study rooms including 5 for Taha Hussein Library,
20 for Arts and Multimedia, and 3 for Rare Books.
Specialized Libraries
| Arts and Multimedia Library |
B3 |
| Taha Hussein Library (for the visually impaired) |
E |
| Rare Books and Special Collections Library |
B2 |
|
|
| Children’s Library |
F1 |
|
|
| Young People’s Library |
F1 |
|
|
| Internet Archive |
E |
|
|
| Book storage area |
|
17,000 m2 |
|
LIBRARY COLLECTION
The collection is constantly growing and presently exceeds half-a-million items (531,000 volumes). It includes Books and Monographs, Maps, Depository Collections, Theses, Multimedia Material, Scholarly Journals, Daily Newspapers/Magazine Titles, Rare books, Special Collections, Manuscripts, Microforms, and generally speaking, the Library relies enormously on E-Resources, including subscriptions to journals and databases.
Specialized Collections
| Arts and Multimedia |
36,144 volumes |
| Rare Books and Special |
46,019 volumes |
| Children’s Library |
20,016 volumes |
| Young People’s Library |
18,859 volumes |
| Nobel |
2,347 monographs |
Museums
| Antiquities Museum |
B1 |
1130 m2 |
|
| Manuscript Museum |
B1 |
340 m2 |
|
| History of Science Museum (below the Planetarium) |
B3 |
550 m2 |
|
Permanent Exhibitions
| The World of Shadi Abdel Salam |
B1 |
| Impressions of Alexandria (Mohamed Awad Collection) |
B1 |
| Arabic Calligraphy |
B1 |
| History of Printing |
B1 |
| The Artist’s Book |
B1 |
| Arab–Muslim Medieval Instruments of Astronomy and Science |
B1 |
| Mohie El-Din Hussein: A Creative Journey |
B1 |
| Abdel Salam Eid |
E |
| Raaya El-Nimr and Abdel-Ghani Abou El-Enein Collection |
E |
Auditoriums and Meeting Rooms
| Auditorium |
E |
|
99 Seats |
| Gad Rausing Auditorium |
F3 |
100 m2 |
65 Seats |
| The Nobel Room |
F3 |
85 m2 |
22 Seats |
| 3rd Floor Floating Room |
F3 |
245 m2 |
35 Seats |
| 4th Floor Floating Room |
F4 |
210 m2 |
35 Seats |
| Meeting Room “F” |
B1 |
82 m2 |
90 Seats |
| Meeting Room “G” |
B1 |
89 m2 |
90 Seats |
| Meeting Room “I” |
B1 |
86 m2 |
90 Seats |
| Meeting Room “J” |
B1 |
102 m2 |
120 Seats |
PLANETARIUM SCIENCE CENTER
| Planetarium |
|
|
99 Seats |
| ALEXploratorium |
B1 |
1400 m2 |
|
CONFERENCE CENTER
Number of levels: 7
| Total area of the building |
|
12,428 m2 |
|
Conference Halls
(includes a large stage and occupies four levels starting from the third level (M) until the balcony on the sixth level) (F3)
| Small Theater |
B1 |
|
240 Seats |
| Delegates Hall |
B1 |
|
106 Seats |
| Lecture Hall |
B1 |
|
270 Seats |
| East Exhibition Hall |
B1 |
460 m2 |
|
| West Exhibition Hall |
B1 |
500 m2 |
|
| Multipurpose Hall |
F2 |
270 m2 |
200 Seats |
| VIP Lounge |
E |
100 m2 |
30 Seats |
| VIP Meeting Room |
E |
100 m2 |
22 Seats |
| Meeting Room “A” |
M |
47 m2 |
32 Seats |
| Meeting Room “B” |
M |
25 m2 |
14 Seats |
| Meeting Room “C” |
M |
75 m2 |
45 Seats |
| Meeting Room “D” |
M |
25 m2 |
14 Seats |
| Meeting Room “E” |
M |
47 m2 |
32 Seats |
| Secretariat Room |
M |
|
|
| Speakers Room |
M |
|
|
| Internet Café |
M |
|
|
| BACC Restaurant |
F1 |
180 m2 |
|
| VIP Restaurant |
F1 |
60 m2 |
|
| BACC Coffee Shop |
B1 |
160 m2 |
|
| Summer Terrace |
F1 |
160 m2 |
|
The Conference Center has two annexes—a greenhouse and a branch of a local bank.
Architects/engineers (Consultant to the BA)
Snohetta A.S. (Norway)/Hamza Associates (Egypt).
CONSTRUCTION PHASES
Phase # 1
- Foundations and Geo-technical Engineering
- Contractors: Rodio/Trevi (Italy) Arab Contractors (Egypt)
- The construction work began on 15 May 1995, was completed on 31 December 1996.
- The largest circular reinforced diaphragm wall in the world, 160 m diameter, was a major engineering achievement, along with more than 600 bored bell-bottom piles.
Phase # 2
- Building Works: Structures, Services, Fit-out and External Works.
- Contractors: Balfour Beatty (UK)/Arab Contractors (Egypt)
- The work began on 27 December 1996. The building was officially inaugurated on 16 October 2002.
