The Library's new blockbuster exhibition, Handwritten: Ten Centuries of Manuscript Treasures from Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, was officially opened by Nobel laureate Professor Brian Schmidt on Friday 25 November.

Since opening to the public, nearly 8,000 visitors have enjoyed the exquisite handwritten manuscripts on display, including works by Beethoven, Galileo, Goethe, Kafka, Michelangelo and Napoleon.

Open until 18 March 2012.

Want to avoid the queues? Book your free ticket online.

Visit our Handwritten blog for behind-the-scenes news, curatorial favourites and more.

Enjoy an evening at the Library, with special after-hours viewings of Handwritten, early evening drinks at bookplate, talks, film screenings and musical performances inspired by the exhibition.

Every Thursday from 19 January, until 9 pm

Find out more

Handwritten Ensemble 

Join three recent graduates from the ANU School of Music for a delightful program of German romantic music. The Trio will perform selected movements by Beethoven, Brahms and Weber.

Thursday 19 January, 6 pm
Foyer, free
 
Handwritten Film

The Brothers Grimm (2005, 118 min, PG)
Con artists Jake and Will Grimm travel from village to village pretending to protect townsfolk. Starring Matt Damon and Heath Ledger.

Thursday 19 January, 7 pm
Theatre, free

Bookings:  02 6262 1271 or online

A tapestry to honour the life and work of visionary, businessman and philanthropist Kenneth Myer has been unveiled at the Library, now permanently displayed on the Lower Ground Floor.

Designed by artist John Young and gifted to the National Library through the Tapestry Foundation of Australia, the artwork, titled Finding Kenneth Myer, was commissioned by Mr Myer’s siblings, Mrs Neilma Gantner, Baillieu Myer AC and Lady Southey AC, and other members of the family to commemorate his life.

Looking for holiday activities for the kids? There's something at the Library for all ages, including movies, storytelling, craft, treasure trails and hands-on workshops.

For the youngest visitors, storytelling will focus on classic tales by the Grimm brothers. Parents can absorb the Handwritten exhibition, then relax with a coffee and snack in paperplate while children enjoy the Faber-Castell Colouring Corner. For primary-aged children, a number of workshops will introduce handwriting, musical notation and the art of illuminated manuscripts.

Find out more

Do you have a favourite treasure? Here’s your chance to share it with the world. Our interactive Treasure Explorer website, specifically designed for children and families, allows young explorers to discover remarkable treasures from the Library's collections and share their own.

Visit Treasure Explorer

Supported by the Harold Mitchell Foundation

Want to find out what was making news in Rockhampton, Perth and Dubbo at the dawn of the twentieth century? Browse through the latest digitised newspapers to be added to Trove, our free online search service. These include The Capricornian, The Inquirer & Commercial News, and The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate.

Want to be alerted to new content in Trove? Subscribe to our web feeds.

Bibliography of British and Irish History

Researching British history? This resource provides information on historical writing dealing with the British Isles, and with the British Empire and Commonwealth, from 55 BC to the present.

Use your Library card to access Bibliography of British and Irish History.

Don't have a Library card? Register online.

Image: The Botanic Macaroni (detail)  1772, nla.pic-an9283266

Australia’s Wild Weather
By Mark Tredinnick

Marrying photographs from the Library’s collections with an evocative and contemplative essay by poet Mark Tredinnick, Australia’s Wild Weather is a lyric field guide to Australia's climate.

Tredinnick presents Australia’s weather in all of its guises—from cyclones to still nights, from drought to flood, from the desert to the tropics, from snowstorm to dust storm. The book’s images represent a who’s who of Australian photography, including Harold Cazneaux, Olive Cotton, Max Dupain, Peter Dombrovskis and Richard Woldendorp.

RRP $39.95

Available from our new and improved Online BookShop.

The Library will be closed on Christmas Day, Sunday 25 December. All our reading rooms will be closed from Monday 26 December 2011, reopening Tuesday 3 January 2012. 

Our galleries and Bookshop will remain open during this time.

Find out more about our summer opening hours