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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 - 17 Aug 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

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

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

Event

For kids and families

School holiday event

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

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

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

Event

Education/learning

Workshops and seminars

Webinar

View all events

Latest news

Man and woman in casual wear holding hands and laughing as they walk up the stairs towards the National Library entrance

2024 at the Library

19 Dec 2024

Before 2024 officially ends, let’s look back at some of the highlights of the year.

Blog

Woman, Jacinta Mackay, sitting in front of a window looking into the Main Reading Room with a large globe on the other side

2024 National Library of Australia Scholar Jacinta Mackay

Bridging the gap between history and culturally safe nursing

16 Dec 2024

Learn about Jacinta Mackay's NLA Scholarship research using the Bringing Them Home oral history recordings.

Blog

Broadside with text reading 'New Colony of South Australia. A Bill having been brought into Parliament under the Sanction of His Majesty's Government for funding a Colony of South Australia. A public meeting will be held in the Great Room at Exeter Hall strand, on Monday next'

South Australian Association, issuing body, New colony of South Australia : a bill having been brought into parliament under the sanction of His Majesty's government for founding a colony in South Australia, 1834, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3461873066

Rare broadsides announcing the formation of South Australia

12 Dec 2024

Learn about two broadsides recently added to our collection.

News