What are your top 3 museums in the world about books?

I visited quite a few book museums in my life. Some mediocre and some fantastic. Here are my best 3. Which would you recommend?


My Top 3. If you like old books, history these museums are fantastic:

1. Museum Plantin Moretus (Antwerp Belgium).

Museum about the 16th century Antwerp printer Christophe Plantin (1520-1589). The printing house called "Officina Plantiniana" was run by his descendants called Moretus until 1876. The last Moretus sold the buildings to the city of Antwerp and it became a museum from then. The old archives are still there and are UNESCO world heritage.
Many famous persons were printing their books here: Abraham Ortelius (first atlas), Justus Lipsius (humanist), Cornelis Killiaan (linguist), Peter Paul Rubens (painter)




2. The abbey Library of Sankt Gallen (Switzerland)

This abbey is more than 1000 years old, but the library is from the 8th century. The library was redesigned in de 18th century. They have a massive wealth of 2100 manuscripts (8th-15th century) and 1650 incunabula (books printed before 1500).



3. Gutenberg Museum Mainz (Germany).

Mainz is the cradle of the printing revolution in the western world. Gutenberg printed his first bible here around 1455. This is a must see when you are interested in de history of printing. A Gutenberg Bible, many other important books and several old book presses.

 

Jaw dropping destinations Libris- miraculous they've survived in this raucous world ! Thanks for the share.

 

These look to be great museums for old books....I'd mention one for those who are interested in contemporary works. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, has a room dedicated to rotating exhibits of contemporary book art; many are amazing works of craft; many that some would not call books as such. It is based on the 1800-book collection of Cynthia Lovelace Sears, a founder of the museum. This is a truly fine smaller museum: "BIMA inspires curiosity, wonder and understanding by connecting people with the contemporary art and craft of the Puget Sound Region." And it is free.

Home - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
Cynthia Sears, Champion of the Arts – Whirligig