I have been here before (a few years ago) and it was a better experience then. I'm not sure if it's…read moredue to the pandemic or too many influencers but the security situation is over the top and rude.
They have security standing at the entrance interrogating people about why they are there. Presumably if you say, "to use the library" or "check out a book" (why do people go to libraries?) they will allow you to pass unmolested. If you say, "to look around," this is what happened to me. The guy led me over to the sign and pointed at "20 minutes" and said "20 minutes." I speak German just fine and I don't know why we needed to do that visually. He handed me a clip with a card on it to indicate I was a visitor. Not sanitary. He also said no camera photos, only phone photos.
I went inside and filled out the form that asked for my name, contact information and time of visit. That form is normal these days in Germany. The pens were communal. Not sanitary.
They have a one way path through the library that gets you all views all the way to the top floor and back again. The tour is not accessible. You climb all the stairs up and down. On a hot day, there is no air conditioning. That was the case when I was there.
