Staatsbibliothek Potsdamer Straße

Berlin's National Library, situated in Potsdamer Straße, towards the west of the city, was designed by the Prussian Institution for Cultural Heritage, like the second National Library in the East, at Unter den Linden. The research and information centre is open to the public, and offers a selection of past and up-to-date archives and collections. The Potsdamer Straße building was constructed according to the design of Hans Scharoun over the period 1967-78. The library comprises over 4 million books and printed works covering a whole range of subjects and countries. The archive department for manuscripts, music, and geographical maps of Eastern Europe, and the East and Middle East are also available to the public. The library also holds over 5 million photographs, graphics, brass and wood etchings and lithographs, plus much much more.