State Library of NSW

The State Library of NSW is the oldest continuously operating library in Australia, with a history dating back to 1826. The Library stands on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, in the heart of Sydney, just a short distance from Sydney Harbour and the iconic Opera House.

For almost 200 years the Library has been collecting a range of material – books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, paintings, architectural plans, objects and digital content – documenting the rich and diverse story of NSW and Australia.

More than one million readers and visitors walk through the Library’s doors each year to think, meet and work in their inspiring spaces. They use the collection, explore the galleries and enjoy their dynamic public programs. Many more visit the Library online to access the catalogue and information services, view digitised works, and read stories about the collections.

The Mitchell Library Reading Room, with its exquisite stained-glass windows, opened in 1942 and is one of the most iconic public spaces in Sydney. Around 50,000 books on Australian and Pacific history are housed in the galleries surrounding the reading room, with millions more stored seven floors beneath street level, in temperature-controlled stacks.

The Library’s adjoining contemporary Macquarie Street Building features light-filled reading rooms, a delightful Children’s Library, a café, a bookshop and a state-of-the-art underground auditorium.

The Library has seven exhibition galleries, including a dedicated First Nations gallery and underground photography gallery, that exhibit world-class collections.  The Library holds eight UNESCO World Heritage recognised collections, including an unrivalled collection of First Fleet journals, the personal diaries of Australians who served in the First World War and world’s largest glass-plate negatives of Sydney Harbour taken in 1875.

The State Library of NSW is the only library in Australia with a rooftop bar. The Library Bar is nestled atop the Library’s iconic Mitchell building and offers unique views of Sydney Harbour and Sydney skyline.

Events
The Library holds regular events including talks, tours and workshops. You can find all upcoming programs on their website under What’s On