The Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF), located at several sites across Paris, is France's premier library and a major cultural hub. Its most famous sites include the François-Mitterrand location in the 13th arrondissement and the Richelieu site, which is considered the historical birthplace of the BnF. Originally constructed in the 17th century as the palace of Cardinal Mazarin, the Richelieu site has undergone extensive renovations, fully reopening in 2022 as a modernized research library, museum, and cultural center.

The BnF's mission is to collect, preserve, and make available France’s documentary heritage. It houses over 40 million items, including books, manuscripts, coins, medals, prints, photographs, maps, musical scores, costumes, masks, archaeological items, and much more. The Oval Room, one of its architectural highlights, serves as a free reading room open to all, while the museum features almost 900 iconic works from antiquity to the present day. The library also offers temporary exhibitions, guided tours, cultural events, and workshops, making it an essential destination for those interested in French culture, literature, and history.

In addition to the physical locations, the BnF offers online resources through its digital library, Gallica, which provides access to millions of digitized documents, including books, newspapers, manuscripts, and images. This digital collection is part of the BnF’s effort to make its vast resources accessible worldwide, fostering both academic research and public enjoyment.