THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA
CELEBRATED 200 YEARS in 2023

The Library of Virginia turned 200 in 2023! Thank you to all who joined us as we celebrated our anniversary with a series of activities, events and programs. View our anniversary-year video.

We presented 200 Years, 200 Stories, Jan. 24–Oct. 28, 2023, an exhibition and multimedia experience celebrating Virginians whose fascinating narratives are housed in the Library's collections and together reflect the stories of Virginia.

The Library was founded by the General Assembly on Jan. 24, 1823, to organize, care for and manage the state's growing collection of books and official records. Since then, the collection has grown to 2 million books, newspapers, maps, prints and photographs, as well as 130 million manuscript items, making the Library the most comprehensive resource in the world for the study of Virginia history, culture and government. View our Timeline of the Library of Virginia’s 200 Years of Service to the Commonwealth.