Russian State Library (Rossiiskaia Gosudarstvennaia Biblioteka)

Still world wide known under its formerly Soviet name the Lenin Library, founded at the end of the 18th century from the collection of the Rumiantsev public museum. It houses a fine selection of antique manuscripts and books including one of the earliest Russian examples of the handwritten book, the 'Gospel of the Archangel'. It holds more than 42 million items in 247 languages, in size second only to the US Library of Congress. The library is open to everyone above 18 years of age, though you will need to apply for a pass, for which you will need a passport and evidence of visa registration.