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This gathering of more than 260 Qur’ans and Qur’an fragments is considered to be the most important of its kind outside the Middle East. Ibn al-Bawwab is reputed to be one of the greatest medieval Islamic calligraphers and displayed here is the exquisite Qur’an he copied in Baghdad in AD 1001.

Fine illuminated manuscripts can be found throughout the library, but the copy of the Gulistan of Sa’di , made in the 1420s for Baysunghur, a prince of the Timurid dynasty that ruled much of Iran in the 15th century, is one of the most beautiful.

This collection includes some of the best examples of painting produced under the guidance of emperors Akbar, Shah Jahan and Jahangir.

Papyrus is an aquatic plant from which ancient Egyptians made writing materials for their documents. One of the finest here is Paul’s Letter to the Romans (c.AD 180– 200). The hieroglyphic and demotic papyri relate to administrative and burial practices.

These tiny, intricate boxes were used to store seals and medicines and are reproduced today by some perfumiers.

This eclectic display includes the world’s largest collection of rhinoceros horn cups, and a stunning range of silk dragon robes.

Some of the finest pieces in the Japanese collection are the painted handscrolls and albums of a type known as Nara Ehon (Nara picture books).

For connoisseurs of Persian poetry, Firdawsi, Nizami, Hafiz and Jami are just four of the authors of the 330 manuscripts.

The ukiyo-e woodblock prints complement the outstanding set of more than 700 prints known as surimono . The Hyakumanto darani is an unusual Buddhist charm housed in a wood stupa.

A bust of Chester Beatty by the sculptor Carolyn Mulholland is the centrepiece of a display dedicated to Beatty.