The Bibliotheque Nationale de France ((BnF), or National Library of France, is located on the eastern side of Paris, along the Seine river. It lies in front of the Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy (POPB), or Bercy sports centre. In 1522, by royal decree, the library was made a repository of all published materials in France, made available to researchers and professionals. The library was designed by the French architect Dominique Perrault and is now managed by the French Ministry of Culture. The complex adorns a large esplanade and four L-shaped towers.

The library consists of departments for prints, manuscripts, etchings, maps, plans and music, as well as temporary exhibition areas, including the Galerie Mansart, Galerie Mazarine and the four Galerie Colbert areas of Vitrine des Arts du Spectacle. The Medals and Antiques Room make up the permanent museum. The library, with ten million pieces of printed or recorded material, employs more than 2,800 people in its departments and has a 1,600-seat capacity in its open reading rooms, along with 2,000 seats reserved for scientists and researchers.

The first renown library in Paris was established in 1368 by King Charles V, ‘the Wise’, when he moved his personal library into the Louvre, with 970 manuscripts. However, it is said that Louis XI, who reigned in 1461-83, was the real founder of the Bibliotheque Nationale. His son, Charles VIII, added more manuscripts and the first printed books to the library. The library was then transferred to Amboise and then to Blois. In 1522, the king introduced his royal decree, whereby the printers and booksellers had to deposit copies of all printed books with the Château de Blois library. In the second half of the 16th Century, the library was transferred to Paris.

The Bibliotheque Nationale de France is one of the richest libraries in France, with electronic documentation in all fields of knowledge, offering some 20,000 online periodicals of all kinds. It also offers teaching activities and group tours, as well as a book shop and a giftshop.