The Library of Alexandria

The Library of Alexandria was built in Egypt more than 2,000 years ago. It was made to hold every book in the world at that time. Smart people from many lands came to read and learn there. The library had scrolls instead of books with pages. Sadly, it was lost a long time ago.

A Home for Knowledge

The library was built in the city of Alexandria. Kings of Egypt paid workers to collect scrolls from far away. Scholars studied math, stars, and stories there. They wrote new ideas and shared them with others. The library helped people learn things that still matter today.

How It Was Lost

No one is fully sure how the library was destroyed. Some think it burned in a big fire during a war. Others say it was lost slowly over many years. Many scrolls were also moved or copied. Today, a new library stands in Alexandria to honor the old one.

Fun Facts

• The library may have held up to 400,000 scrolls.
• Ships that came to port had to give their books to be copied.
• A famous scientist named Eratosthenes once led the library.

Did You Know?

A new library called the Bibliotheca Alexandrina opened in 2002 in the same city.