Mitterand Library at Night

This is surely the world's craziest library, the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand in Paris, which we visited this afternoon to see a couple of excellent exhibitions of photographs. One Hundred Masterpieces was one show, an eclectic selection with emphasis on the 19th century. The other was Louis Stettner, an American born in 1922 who has lived in Paris and New York; I hadn't known him, but the show was excellent.

This view was taken when leaving, in early evening. The two towers are exactly echoed by two behind me, forming a rectangle. Here is nearly the same view from over 8 years ago, in daylight. Books are stored in the towers and the design has been greatly criticized. The public areas , exhibition spaces and reading rooms, etc. are on lower levels, in the great rectangle which connects the towers. One does a lot of walking--especially with the entrance we usually use closed; we have to walk to the other end of the great rectangle to get in. But today it all was worth it :)