Past events | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Past events

Showing 1 - 12 of 153 results
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 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm

The Friends of the National Library invited Dianna Nixon of Music Theatre Projects Ltd to share her 9 year journey uncovering the life and work of the playwright, Millicent Armstrong.

Conference Room
Friends of the Library event
Past event
Talks and ideas
Man, Gary Humpheries, wearing a suit with a stern expression
Canberra Day Oration 2025: Gary Humphries AO
12 Mar 2025 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm

The Canberra & District Historical Society proudly presented the 2025 Canberra Day Oration.

Online
Theatre
Past event
Talks and ideas
Matt Aberline sitting in front of an illuminated painting of wildflowers
Matt Aberline: The Guardians & the Power of Participatory Art
11 Mar 2025 | 12:30pm - 1:10pm

Acclaimed artist Matt Aberline gave an engaging talk on The Guardians, his latest large-scale installation at the National Library of Australia.

Theatre
Enlighten
Past event
Talks and ideas
Large, colourful, immersive, inflatable artwork with people wandering through
Enlighten 2025: The Guardians
28 Feb - 10 Mar 2025 | 6:00pm - 11:00pm

As part of the Enlighten Festival, the Library welcomed 'The Guardians' to our podium area, from opening night on 28 February.

Podium
Enlighten
For kids and families
Past event
On the left, a book cover with a light grey background, a painting of an older man, paint splatters, and text reading 'Tom McIlroy',' Blue Poles' and 'Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the painting that changed a nation'
Book launch: Blue Poles by Tom McIlroy
03 Mar 2025 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Journalist Tom McIlroy discussed his book 'Blue Poles'.

Online
Theatre
Books and authors
Book launch
Past event
Photo of Helen Garner next to her new book The Season
Author talk: The Season with Helen Garner
20 Feb 2025 | 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Helen Garner was in conversation with Beejay Silcox about her new book The Season.

Foyer
Theatre
Books and authors
Author talk
Past event
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 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm

The Friends of the National Library invited biographer Matthew Lamb to discuss young Frank Moorhouse's life.

Conference Room
Online
Books and authors
Author talk
Friends of the Library event
Past event
Photo portrait of Dr Ken Henry AC

Dr Ken Henry AC

2025 Ann Moyal Lecture: Dr Ken Henry AC
11 Feb 2025 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

The 2025 Ann Moyal Lecture presented by Dr Ken Henry AC, titled What We Must Fix First.

Online
Theatre
Past event
Talks and ideas
Flagship lecture
Exhibition curator standing in the Hopes and Fears exhibition gallery holding the exhibition book and smiling
Learn with the curators: Explore our Migration exhibition
31 Jan 2025 | 12:30pm - 1:00pm

Delve into some of the treasures from our Hopes and Fears: Australian Migration Stories exhibition with the curators. 

Online
Education/learning
Past event
Workshops and seminars
Webinar
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 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

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

Online
Theatre
Past event
Talks and ideas
Colourful arts and crafts supplies, including markers, crayons, pencils, scissors, tissue paper, cardboard, wool and ribbon.
School holiday activity: Drop-in art and craft
22 - 24 Jan 2025 | 11:00am - 2:00pm

We celebrated the final days of our Hopes and Fears: Australian Migration Stories exhibition, with our drop-in art and craft school holiday activity.

Kids and families
Foyer
For kids and families
School holiday event
Past event
A book cover of Jenny Horsfield's 'Our Grassy Landscapes' which includes a lake view, mountains and trees.

Our Grassy Landscapes by Jenny Horsfield 

Book signing: Our Grassy Landscapes by Jenny Horsfield
10 Dec 2024 | 6:00pm - 6:30pm

Local author Jenny Horsfield held a book signing event marking the release of her latest book.

NLA Bookshop
Books and authors
Bookshop event
Past event

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