Dubai is known for its glitzy shopping malls, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. However, one of its most exciting new attractions, - especially for those who appreciate culture over consumption, is the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library – an oasis of knowledge where visitors can read, study or explore its rare manuscripts and first-edition books on display.
The library, which cost over $270 million to build, is named after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai. With more than 1.1 million print and digital books housed in the 54,000 square-meter building, it joins other great libraries like London's British Library and Egypt's Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
The building is home to nine separate libraries and dedicated to everything from media and the arts to business titles, international periodicals, maps and atlases, books for children and young adults, and a collection of precious archival treasures.
But you don't have to travel that far to find a good read. The Westport Free Library is minutes away!