Entrance hall to the main reading room at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (© Ryan McGinnis/Getty Images)

【November 1 2013】The Great Hall of the United States Library of Congress opened its doors to the public on this day in 1897. Established in 1800, the library’s holdings grew fitfully and modestly until 1870, when changes to U.S. copyright law required copyright applicants to give two copies of their work to the library. The resulting avalanche of new material required more space to house it all, so Congress approved construction of the library's Great Hall. Today, the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and its holdings are stored in many buildings.Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..