Rarities Room

Following the Main Hall, the tour then proceeds into the special treasures room that includes the truly invaluable pieces held by the BA. Here we marvel at the oldest manuscript and rare book in the possession of the BA as well as millenary manuscripts, dating back to over 1000 years. The Rarities Room also houses rare books dealing with Alexandria, incunabula, and books from the first printing house in Egypt, the Bulaq Press. Many of the Arabic manuscripts were written in order to be kept in the treasury of noted dignitaries, and these stamped copies are displayed in the treasury showcase. Illumination was equally important to the scribes of these manuscripts, thus the Exhibition Gallery exposes the glorious copies gilded in gold and decorated with powdered precious stones. Naturally, the value of manuscripts increases when the author himself puts pen to paper and we find these autographs from many of the influential scholars and thinkers of their time. The Rarities Room ends with a glance back to the ancient Library of Alexandria. Here is where the gathering of thought and script began in Alexandria and we find a facsimile copy of the only surviving papyrus from the Ancient Library era, dating back to 235 B.C.