The Bibliothèque de Genève in Parc des Bastions is a public space dedicated to reading, research and cultural discovery.
The reading room provides an ideal setting for studying and exploring thousands of documents and digital resources.
Bibliothèque de Genève
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Did you know?
The Bibliothèque de Genève, founded in 1559, is the oldest cultural institution in Geneva. It preserves the written and visual history of the region. In December 2004, the library’s reading room was equipped with a completely free WiFi network, a first in the City of Geneva!
The institution is also the only one in Switzerland to hold two collections listed in UNESCO‘s prestigious ‘Memory of the World’ register: the Jean-Jacques Rousseau collection (since 2011) and the Ella Maillart collection (since 2025).
Promenade des Bastions 8
1205 Geneva
Opening hours
- Exhibitions and Library: Monday to Friday 9am-6pm | Saturday 9am-12pm
- Bonivard Reading Room and Study Room: Monday to Friday 9am-10pm | Saturday 9am-5pm
- Closed on Sundays (special opening hours can be found at bge-geneve.ch)
Parking
Uni-Dufour or Plainpalais car parks
Public transport
- Bus: 3, 5, 20, 92, Place de Neuve
- Tram: 12 et 17, Place de Neuve
Services
Self-service coffee area on site
Accessibility
Location accessible to persons with reduced mobility
Prices
Free entry