The Library of Birmingham

Last week I went for an applicant open day at the University of Birmingham which I thoroughly enjoyed. After we looked around the university, went to English Literature talks and taster lectures, we decided to explore the city of Birmingham!
This was my first visit and I have to say I was impressed. We looked around the Bullring shopping centre which was amazing. Literally had all the shops (Waterstones was a favourite of mine) and restaurants (Five Guys obviously?!) you could ever want. 

I was really keen on finding the infamous Library of Birmingham after seeing it on the news quite a while ago when it first opened! It really is as impressive in real life as it was on my TV screen. The exterior is not the most pleasing to the eye, very modern and quirky rather than traditional but the inside most definitely makes up for it. As soon as you walk in you are met by a massive lobby/reception area with a gift shop and cafe to one side and a photography gallery to the other. In front of you are blue lit escalators that weave up and up throughout the middle of the fantastic building. With over ten floors of any kind of book you could possibly need, winding staircases, a glass lift, a sky garden, the Shakespeare memorial room and finally a view across the city.