The Mazarine Library in Paris is a hidden, beautiful spot.  If you've been to Paris, you've probably walked right by it and didn't even know it existed.  This is part of its charm.  It seems like a place reserved for Kings, but visitor passes are free for a couple of days or you can purchase yearly passes.  It is a public library; it just looks like a palace. 

History from the website:

La bibliothèque personnelle du cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661), principal ministre de la minorité de Louis XI...
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