Opening Hours:
Monday, Wednesday: 13:00 – 21:00; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 – 17:00; Saturday, Sunday — closed.
Number of seats : 7
Contact us:
Telephone: +7(812) 407-42-66 E-mail: voltaire@nlr.ru Address: 1-3, Ostrovsky Square, Saint Petersburg
Where to find us: Ground Floor Plan
The Centre for Study of the Enlightenment 'Voltaire Library' is a part of the Rare Books Department. The Voltaire Library is the unique monument of the 18th century culture, one of some well surviving private libraries of that time. It contains 6814 volumes acquired by Voltaire, mainly, in the last twenty years of his life in Fern. The vast majority of items in the Voltaire Library are 18th century publications, about ten percent of them are 17th century editions, and a small number are 16th century books. More than a third of books carry Voltaire’s notes written in the margins of a text, the so-called marginalia.
The Voltaire Library have restricted access. These require permission to consult.
Anyone who wants to do research for work-related or academic purposes will be required to show a letter of recommendation from their organization, confirming the research topic. Please note that items in the Voltaire Library are restricted to the particular reading room.
Researchers, who require copies from the Rare Books collection, need to apply to the Head of the Rare Books Department for permission. Requests must be accompanied by an application from the head of their institution, organization or publishing office, which plans to further reseach or publish copies of rare books, acquired from the Library.
Readers have access to the printed catalogue of the Voltaire Library (view an electronic version). You also can consult our extensive subsidiary collection material (books and periodicals on the history of the Enlightenment).
If you need help, our staff offer assistance in searching material for your research and using our catalogue.
Location Maps
Reader Registration
Reading Rooms
Floor Plans
Using the Reading Rooms
Food, Drink
Cloakrooms, Storage, Wi-Fi
Accessibility
Book Shop
The Library is open Monday, Wednesday: 13:00 to 21:00; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 9:00 to 17:00.
The Library is closed on public holidays and last Tuesday of each month. On pre-holidays, the Library is open from 9:00 to 16:00.