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Discover our collections

Women sit at a table talking to each other

June Orford, Class members, refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the former Yugoslavia, practise English language exercises at the Fitzroy Learning Network, Fitzroy, Victoria, 2005, nla.obj-137095404

Migration and immigration

A family dressed for a wedding laughs as they sit together on a couch

Conor Ashleigh, Bridal couple Achol and Marial and their bridal party, Sydney, December, 2013, nla.obj-506867692

Family history and genealogy

Street full of people celebrating Fairfield City Council's Cabramatta Moon Festival

Ken Leanfore, Park Road looking towards Freedom Plaza, Fairfield City Council's Cabramatta Moon Festival, 28 August, 2022, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3128830751

Asia

Globe of the world, surrounded with rings depicting the 'horizon' and signs of zodiac

J. van. Loon & Andreas Cellarius, Sitvs terrae circvlis coelestibvs circvndatae, 1660, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-230714394

Maps

Two women in navy and orange work wear with protective glasses, gas masks and tanks on their backs standing by a wall with an orange door and signs reading 'Danger Chlorine', 'Eye protection must be worn in this area', 'Liquid chlorine bulk storage' and more.

Ruth Maddison, Thilini Malalasekera and Tabatha James at the door of the liquid chlorine bulk storage room at Winneke Water Treatment Plant, Christmas Hills, Victoria, 2017, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-505676674

Feminism and women leaders

Black and white sketch of costume for the Princess-Mother in Swan Lake, with swatches of fabrics around the edges

Kristian Fredrikson, Costume and set sketches, Swan Lake (New Zealand) Act 1, nla.obj-3160686825

Performing arts

A group of four people who are very colourfully dressed, holding signs in a park. There are more groups of colourful people in the background.

Jiayuan Liang, The LGBTIQA+ communities assemble at Light Square before at the Pride March, Adelaide, 5 November, 2022, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3144558245

LGBTQIA+

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What's on

Title page of a landscape oriented printed book: ornate engraving featuring musical performers. Scene is framed by theatre curtains.

James Hook, Guida di Musica: Being a Complete Book of Instructions for Beginners on the Harpsichord or Piano Forte, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8650184

The Excellencies of Musick: Highlights from the Jamie and Michael Kassler Collection

03 Dec 2024 - 01 Sep 2025

Enter the musical world of seventeenth and early nineteenth century Britain with rare prints, books and manuscripts.

Exhibition

Treasures Gallery

Assistance animals welcome

Wheelchair accessible

A black and white image of an asult and three children standing by the side of the road with an old fashioned car parked near them. The Sydney Opera House is in the background.

Sonia Di Mezza as a baby with Guido, Joseph and Anna Di Mezza under the Harbour Bridge, c.1972 or 1973, courtesy Sonia Di Mezza

Building our nation: How migrants and their children have shaped Australia

30 Jan 2025

Join Sonia Di Mezza, CEO of the Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services (MARSS) in Canberra, as she discusses how Australia was and is strengthened by migrants, and how important cultural diversity and inclusion is to modern day Australia.

Event

Talks and ideas

A sepia group photo of the 10 young men in the Nowra softball team, including Frank Moorhouse. Photo-shopped onto the photo on the bottom right corner is a purple circle with white writing reading 'Friends event'

Frank Moorhouse [middle front], 1954, courtesy Matthew Lamb.

Author talk – Frank Moorhouse: Strange Paths with Matthew Lamb

12 Feb 2025

Join the Friends of the National Library and biographer Matthew Lamb as he delves into young Frank Moorhouse's life.

Books and authors

Author talk

Friends of the Library event

Black and white photograph of playwright Millicent Armstrong and two horses. On the bottom left corner a purple circle with white text reading 'Friends Event' has been photoshopped on.

Millicent Armstrong with horses at her Gunning property, courtesy Lucy Knight.

Discovering Millicent Armstrong with Dianna Nixon

19 Mar 2025

Join the Friends of the National Library and Dianna Nixon as she shares with us her 9 year journey uncovering the life and work of the playwright, Millicent Armstrong.

Event

Friends of the Library event

Talks and ideas

View all events

Latest news

Scrapbook of newspaper clippings, including one full page and a cartoon, about the Gamboa family

Album of newspaper cuttings relating to the Gamboa family' from the Papers of the Gamboa family, 1949–99, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn997866

Gamboa: A family defined by race

11 Dec 2024

Follow the story of Lorenzo Gamboa and his fight to return to his Australian-born wife and children after his deportation in 1946.

Blog

Hand holding a mobile phone open to the Library website homepage

Welcome to our new website

10 Dec 2024

Find out more about our redesigned website - a new way to explore the Library.

News

Old book sitting open on a black cushion. On the left page is a portrait of a man with large rolled hair, on the right is the title page with text reading 'Orpheus Britannicus; A collection of all the choicest songs for one, two and three voices, composed by Mr. Henry Purcell'

Henry Purcell, Orpheus Britannicus : a collection of all the choicest songs for one, two, and three voices, 1702, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8656424

The Excellencies of Musick exhibition opens at the National Library showcasing rare books, prints and manuscripts

29 Nov 2024

A new exhibition is opening at the National Library of Australia, featuring exquisite and intriguing rare books, prints and manuscripts relating to music.

Media release