Upon first glance, this large, windowless geometric building looks a bit out of place amongst the Gothic-style buildings on the Yale University campus. The building itself is an architectural feat, containing hundreds of ¼ inch thick Vermont Marble, framed by granite. It’s not only an exemplary use of New England building materials, but also a state of the art preservation method for the thousands of archived treasures housed inside.
This iconic institution is the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library and is a worthy feature in our Archives of the Month series. Though a part of Yale University, the Beinecke is open to the public and the exhibition gallery is free for students and visitors alike. The library’s modernist design, courtesy of Gordon Bunshaft, has made it a destination for architecture enthusiasts. The building’s striking exterior, composed of white Vermont marble and a translucent marble “skin,” filters natural light into the interior. Even on a cloudy July day when I visited, the interior glow was striking- allowing for natural light without hazardous UV rays.
The library’s extensive collection of rare books and manuscripts are housed in the glass enclosed books stacks, which are located in the center of the building. Permanent and rotating exhibits line the exhibit hall space around the perimeter of the building.
Among the exhibits include The Gutenberg Bible, one of only 48 remaining copies in the world, as well as Audubon’s Birds of America, and my visit in July afforded me a view of one of the 26 known copies of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence.
If you are ever in the New Haven area, the Beinecke Library is a must visit for Archives lovers.
*All photos provided by Aryn Prestia, SJSU’s SAASC Blog Editor
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