So ever since I was a little kid, I've always wanted the library from Disney's Beauty & The Beast. I mean, it's just so beautiful, and those spiral staircases are so cool. (Never mind that I live in earthquake country, and that library would be a death trap!) But it's just a drawing. Merely an animation on a movie screen. I know this. You know this. The Beast's library doesn't exist in real life.
HOWEVER, tons of other gorgeous libraries do, and if you visit the blog
Curious Expeditions you can see photos of many of the best-looking libraries in the world. They have TONS of pictures, all of which will set a bibliophile's heart a-thumpin'.
A preview of a few of my favorites:
George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Handelingenkamer Tweede Kamer Der Staten-Generaal Den Haag, the Hague, Netherlands
Melk Monastery Library, Melk, Austria
I actually had a photo of this library as my desktop background for a long time...
Suzzallo Library, Seattle, Washington, USA
Wiblingen Monestary Library, Ulm, Germany
If you've got a favorite library to show off, please share!