- This event has passed.
On this day in 1800, the Library of Congress was established
April 24, 2023
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 24 of April, repeating indefinitely
On this day in 1800, the Library of Congress was established in Washington, D.C. It is our nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world! Since 1801, the collection has increased from its initial 740 volumes “necessary for the use of Congress” to over 170 million items.
The Library has also grown to hold not only books but photos, films, newspapers, historical items, and more. Films held there as part of the National Film Registry include American-made favorites such as Jurassic Park, The Shining, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. 📚 🎥 🎞️
Did you know? Every working day, the Library adds roughly 10,000 new items to its collections.
Of the wide variety of books that call the Library home, the smallest is approximately the size of the period at the end of this sentence, while the largest tops in at 7’ tall.
The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 1902
