Visit of the Humanist library - The Bibliothèque Humaniste of Sélestat
Discover the treasures of the Renaissance in a museum in the heart of Alsace! The Humanist Library offers you a visit among unique medieval and printed manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries. In a building designed by the architect Rudy Ricciotti, your tour will be punctuated by modern and innovative devices at the service of books and art objects.
The interactive devices proposed throughout the visit allow everyone to enter the heart of the books and understand the richness of Rhenish humanism. Spend an unforgettable moment in this heritage facility ideally located at the crossroads of Alsace's tourist routes.
Opening hours
May - September / December: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am - 12.30pm / 1.30pm - 6pm
24 and 31 December: closes at 4pm
February - April / October - November: Tuesday to Sunday, 1.30 pm - 5.30 pm
Last admission 30 min. before closing time.
Closed on Mondays and from 1 to 31 January, 1 May, 25 and 26 December.
Humanist library - The Bibliothèque Humaniste
The Humanist Library of Sélestat (Bas-Rhin) brings together the collections of the town's parish library. And those of the personal library of the Alsatian humanist Beatus Rhenanus (16th century), who donated them to his native town. It is housed in the town's former corn exchange, built in 1845.
Among the treasures that visitors can admire is a 7th century liturgical manuscript. The oldest book preserved in Alsace.
But also a 13th century bible, with numerous illuminations. Some of them in gold. Or a school book by Beatus Rhenanus. Written more than five centuries ago, it is a rare document.
Since 2011, the humanist library in Sélestat has been listed in the Unesco Memory of the World register. This testifies to the universality and value of this collection.
Car access
Du nord : à partir de Strasbourg, autoroute A35 direction Colmar sur 50 km. Sortie n°16 Sélestat centre - ZI Nord
Du sud : à partir de Mulhouse, autoroute A35 jusqu’à Colmar, puis RN 83 sur 22 km. Sortie n°18 - Sélestat Centre
De l’ouest : à partir de Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines par RN 59, 22 km
De l’est : à partir de Marckolsheim/le Rhin par D 424, 14 km
La Bibliothèque Humaniste se trouve au centre-ville de Sélestat, à deux pas de l’église St-Georges.
Train access
Une liaison ferroviaire régulière existe pour Sélestat (ligne Strasbourg-Sélestat-Colmar-Mulhouse). La gare de Sélestat est desservie par le TGV Est à raison d’un A/R par jour. De la gare, il vous reste 10 min. de marche en direction du centre-ville pour arriver au musée.
Limited mobility
L’ensemble de la Bibliothèque Humaniste est accessible aux personnes à mobilité réduite. Le site est doté d’un ascenseur.
1939 - 45: Memoirs of war
From 18 June to 2 November 2025
Exposition temporaire
Mémoire
To mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the city of Sélestat, the Humanist Library has joined forces with the Ville d'art et d'histoire and the municipal archives to bear witness to the resilience and courage of an occupied territory, and to the fragility of heritage in times of conflict.
Immerse yourself in the heart of the Second World War.
Using oral testimonies, combined with the city's archives and those of the Humanist Library, the exhibition retraces the key episodes of this troubled local history: from the uncertain anticipation of the "phony war" to the challenges imposed by the protection of cultural assets and the possibility of evacuations.
But it also evokes the Nazi administration's control of the population and the tragedy of forced conscription, right up to the city's Liberation, which took place against a backdrop of violent fighting.
Sélestat
1 place Dr Maurice Kubler
67600 Sélestat
France
0388580720
mediation@bibliotheque-humaniste.fr