The core elements of the Food and Agriculture Museum & Network (MuNe) dedicated to the FAO Library allow the visitor to explore the Library’s physical and digital collections. You can find more information on some of the centrepieces on this page.
In addition, monitors are available to the public to browse the Library Discovery search interface, the digitalized David Lubin Archive, and the FAO Knowledge Repository. The Repository serves as the digital open access gateway for all of FAO’s publications, containing tens of thousands of items, including flagships, technical reports, meeting documents, and the library’s historical collections.
FAO's journey began with the creation of the International Institute of Agriculture (IIA) in Rome in 1905 by King Vittorio Emanuele III. This institution was the realization of David Lubin's vision for a global body dedicated to international agricultural cooperation and knowledge sharing to benefit farmers worldwide.
When the IIA dissolved in 1946, its vital functions and unique library, rich in historical agricultural publications, passed directly to the newly established FAO. Lubin's daughters donated their father's personal archive to the FAO Library in 1974. This legacy serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that combined vision, practical action, and perseverance can achieve.
In our increasingly digital lives, it's easy to overlook the tangible roots of knowledge. For millennia, paper and ink have been the vessels of human wisdom, bound together as books. Libraries stand as guardians of this printed heritage, and the FAO library is no exception.
Stretching beneath the entire museum lies a remarkable archive of 15 kilometers of printed publications. Filled from floor to ceiling with the collected wisdom of authors and organizations spanning centuries, documenting the history of agricultural research in general and the vast and vital work of FAO.
Tree of knowledge
The Tree of Knowledge is a dynamic symbol illustrating how culture and learning shape future generations. This interactive installation invites you to touch a tree crafted entirely from words. With each interaction, new branches bloom with fresh language, echoing the ideas that knowledge flourishes through dialogue and participation. Housed in the FAO Library, the tree reminds us that building a better world starts with curiosity, conversation, and individual contributions.
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Knowledge in bloom
Botanical knowledge comes alive on the walls of the Library space inside MuNe. This unique wallpaper, crafted from the exquisite illustrations of the Hortus Romanus, brings to life a rare 18th-century Italian botanical masterpiece. Published in Rome between 1772 and 1793, this luxurious six-volume work, initiated by Giorgio Bonelli and continued by Niccolò Martelli, features hand-painted illustrations of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
More than just beautiful images, these depictions highlight a historical fascination with the classification of useful plants, transforming the space into a celebration of both art and botanical study.