Located at rue de richelieu in paris, the historic complex houses the collections and reading rooms of the manuscripts department, the maps and plans branch, the coins, medals and antiques bureau, and the performing arts office. since 1993, the quadrangle has also been home to the french national art history library.
In the early 2000s, it was decided that the aging building had become unsuitable for the demands of the 21st century, and a major overhaul was planned. with work starting in 2011, bruno gaudin’s architecture firm was responsible for the project’s general management, while the restoration of the listed ‘salle labrouste’ was entrusted to jean-françois lagneau. to keep the library partially open, the renovation has been divided into two phases, with the second stage set to complete in 2020.
