Library Company of Philadelphia
About Library Company of Philadelphia
The Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) is a non-profit organization located on Locust Street in Center City, Philadelphia. Founded as a library in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, the Library Company of Philadelphia has accumulated one of the most significant collections of historically valuable manuscripts and printed material in the United States. On December 2, 2025, a majority of the Library Company shareholders voted to pursue an affiliation with Temple University. This affiliation was approved by Temple.
The current collection size is approximately 500,000 books and 70,000 other items, including 2,150 items that once belonged to Franklin, major collections of 17th-century and Revolution-era pamphlets and ephemera, maps, and whole libraries assembled in the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection also includes first editions of Moby-Dick and Leaves of Grass.
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Nearby museums
Make a day of it. 4 more museums are within a mile of Library Company of Philadelphia; the closest, Philadelphia Sketch Club, is practically next door.
