The "Vatche and Tamar Manookian" Matenadaran was officially opened on October 18 in 2012. Thanks to the generosity of Vatche and Tamar Manookian, the construction took several years. The Matenadaran serves as a library, manuscript repository, research and conference venue. In addition to seminarians and members of the Mother See, the library is used by researchers and scholars from around the world.
The architect of the building is Artak Ghulyan, who combined modern and traditional Armenian architectural styles. The building is illuminated by tall windows overlooking the Saint Gayane Monastery and Mount Masis. The library has modern conditions: generators providing constant current and special systems ensuring the safety of books in case of fire. The library has two spacious halls designed for holding international conferences.
The Matenadaran fund is rich in personal collections donated to the Mother See by Hakob Anasyan, Arshak Ter-Mikelyan, esteemed of Armenian literature. This is the best library in Armenia, where many editions of the Bible in different languages are collected. The library is also rich in ancient and medieval Middle Eastern literature.
The "Vatche and Tamar Manookian" Matenadaran has a collection of ancient books. Among them is the first printed Bible in Armenian, printed in 1666 in Amsterdam. The library also has a special exhibition hall where books of historical and aesthetic value are displayed from time to time. The staff of the library have the skill to preserve ancient books. These books are stored in safe and convenient conditions. Researchers can access the fund after prior approval.
The "Vatche and Tamar Manookian" Matenadaran can be used by anyone after registering with a passport. The library is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.