It’s sometimes easy to forget that beauty is universal. The way that sunlight catches the view on a bright June morning. The way that a song lyric holds your ear. Or the moment someone meets their lover’s eye. Stop. Look. Listen. Find something that is beautiful. And really savour it. |
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Scientist. Inventor. Artist.
Leonardo da Vinci was a man of many talents. Have you ever stopped to notice how the observations overlap in his work? The vortex and the snail, a pine cone and the twinkling surface of water, swirls of movement and human hair. The beauty of the natural world inspired his engineering projects and artistry. See the comparisons for yourself at Leonardo da Vinci: A Mind in Motion – exhibition opens 7 June. |
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Indian summer
A riot of colour, energy and ideas, the stunning ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival makes its annual trip to St Pancras. A two-day taster of 'the greatest literary show on Earth'. |
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Whether you’re a trendsetter or a fashion follower, did you know that the magazines you read for your style inspiration can be traced back to the Elizabethan age? Reflect on the history of fashion magazines and how they have remodelled the image of beauty standards. |
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Ever wondered how centuries old textiles have endured whilst today’s t-shirt only lasts for a season? Library colleagues from different departments have been working together to develop new ways to protect fragile embroidered and textile bookbindings. |
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Writing the story of writing |
Scribbling down a shopping list? Leaving a LOL under a video online? Whichever it is, you are making your mark. We reflect on how writing has changed the ways we think, feel and see the world. |
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Medieval beasts and where to find them |
Medieval bestiaries are a cacophony of colour. Pigments made from flowers and other natural components helped to create the pages of these unique handmade books. Inspired by medieval manuscript Harley MS 4751, take to the deep sea with this animation… |
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Avian mud-slinging
Beauty is nature. Beauty is playfulness. Beauty is humour. The Owl and the Nightingale has it all. One of the earliest substantial texts to be written in Middle English, the poem is also one of the most charming. The narrator describes a debate overheard between two birds. The scenario unfolds as the birds quarrel... |
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We’re ready for our close-up
Buzzing, creative, brave. Places of sanctuary, freedom, and the unexpected. Libraries don’t just keep our stories safe; they’re where new stories begin. Meet the people around the world making amazing things happen in them, in our new podcast. |
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Creating styles since 1896
Pall Mall Barbers is one of the oldest barber shops in central London. But when Richard Marshall took over the business, its aura wasn’t the right vintage. See how he created the perfect blend of tradition and modernity, and how our Innovating for Growth programme helped him conquer New York. |
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