The core of the Library of the Botanical Garden of Naples was established in the 19th century mainly through the acquisitions made by the first director, Michele Tenore. After his death, according to his explicit wishes, the volumes from his personal botanical library became part of the library of the Botanical Garden, which continued to grow in size through subsequent acquisitions. The library was initially housed in the Castlebut over the years, it was transferred to the newly constructed building of the Institute of Botany (now the Plant Biology Building).
Currently, the library of the Botanical Garden includes this important collection of books (officially named “Biblioteca storica dell’Orto Botanico di Napoli”) as well as two smaller collections, primarily consisting of texts and journals from the 20th century. The original collection consists of approximately 6,000 volumes, including manuscripts, incunabula (around forty), ancient books, and modern works.
The Library of the Botanical Garden of Naples is an integral part of the University Library System, coordinated and managed by the Centro Bibliotecario d’Ateneo (CAB - University Center for Libraries).
It is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM and from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, except in the month of August and on university closure days. Access to the library services is reserved for students, researchers, scholars, professors, and internal staff; no reservation is required.
The services provided are:
- On-site consultation
- Document delivery
- Reference service
For inquiries or assistance, please write to the following addresses:
Sistema Museale di Ateneo