What can we help you find?

Not sure where to start or need help? Ask a Librarian

What can we help you find?

Not sure where to start or need help? Ask a Librarian

Discover our collections

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.gov.au/nla.obj-506867692

Family history and genealogy

People watch lion dances in Chinatown Plaza in Adelaide

Jiayuan Liang, Chung Yee Tong Lion Dance Team performing lion dances, Chinese New Year, Chinatown, Adelaide, 2022, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3125334254

Asia

Illustration of a tree branch with leaves. Some of it it coloured in and some left white

William T. Cooper, Corymbia confertiflora (Kippist) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, family Myrtaceae, Chillagoe, Queensland, February 2003, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1728333879

Visual arts

Vincent Lingiari and two other men seated

Michael Jensen, Vincent Lingiari at Wattie Creek [(Daguragu), Northern Territory] when they had water on tap, 1977, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137086604

First Australians

Large wall of bookshelves with hundreds of colourful books

Literature and writing

A group of women marches down a city street, holding various protest signs. Signs include messages like "Sexism is alive & living in Australia" and "Dress for comfort, not for style." A large sculpture is visible in the background.

John McKinnon, Women on the march wave their placards at the International Women's Day march, Melbourne, March 8, 1975, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137045864

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.gov.au/nla.obj-3160686825

Performing arts

A streetscape of Bourke street, Melbourne.

Tom Roberts, Bourke Street, Melbourne, 1885, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134285521

Local history

Black and white photo of a man in a suit holding a large old camera

Harold Cazneaux holding a camera, Sydney, ca. 1905, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144119446

Photography

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Latest news

A woman smiling with collection material in the National Library's Special Collections Reading Room

2025 National Library of Australia Creative Arts Fellow, Julie Gough

Fellowships 2027: Explore, question, discover and share

23 Feb 2026

Applications for 2027 National Library of Australia Fellowships and Creative Arts Fellowships open on 23 February 2026.

Media release

A woman with long hair tied back stands in the centre of the image wearing a white shirt and navy jacket

What's On in March 2026 at the National Library

19 Feb 2026

Our March event program brings science, history, biography and art to the Library, along with a healthy sprinkle of Shakespeare.

Media release

A woman stands on the right-hand side of this image holding a cleaning tool and applying it to a plaque. A man is on the left-hand side watching the cleaning process.

Associate Professor Nicole Tse undertaking some test cleaning of a plaque while Michael Lam looks on

Community Heritage Grant: See Yup Society

18 Feb 2026

Learn about the See Yup Temple, recipient of a 2025 Community Heritage Grant.

Blog

Woman with dark hair, Suprawee (Earn) Asanasak, standing in the stacks of the Library smiling and holding a book

2024 Asia Study Grant recipient Miss Suprawee (Earn) Asanasak

Painting a picture of 19th and 20th century Thai law

18 Feb 2026

Hear about Suprawee (Earn) Asanasak 2024 Asia Study Grant research.

Blog

An illustration of four children walking towards a covered area where there are two groups of children and being taught by two teachers. There are hills in the background and several birds flying in the sky.

Thomas Stevens, illustration in Kantina, Kuula, Ngurra, 1985, nla.obj-3285322250

National Library of Australia unveils Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

16 Feb 2026

A major exhibition and an important new book showcase the decades-long, remarkable efforts of the Papunya community to record language and culture and keep it alive.

Media release

View all news

What's on

Red text reading 'Wangka Wakanutja' on a yellow background

Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

04 Apr - 11 Oct 2026

Explore the decades-long, remarkable efforts of the Papunya community to record language and culture and keep it alive.

Exhibition

Exhibition Gallery

Coming soon

Assistance animals welcome

Quiet hours 9:00am - 10:00am

Wheelchair accessible

A short haired woman with black rimmed glasses in a checkered, button down shirt, smiling at the camera

2025 Creative Arts Fellow Julie Gough

Enaction Plan: Reassembling the past with Julie Gough

26 Feb 2026

Julie Gough will discuss her recent Fellowship research focusing on colonial collections and their role in shaping Tasmanian Aboriginal histories.

Event

First Australians

Talks and ideas

Fellowship talk

Assistance animals welcome

Hearing induction loop

Wheelchair accessible

A colourful projection on the National Library of Australia building featuring a figurine reading a book while holding a lamp

Enlighten 2026: The Page Turner

27 Feb - 09 Mar 2026

We invite you to experience our 2026 Enlighten projection, The Page Turner by local artists Eleanor and Giovanni.

Event

Enlighten

For kids and families

A woman and man wearing aprons and holding colourful maquettes, pictured alongside unpainted maquettes and paints and paintbrushes

Figurine painting workshop with Eleanor & Giovanni

28 Feb 2026

Award winning animators and artists Eleanor & Giovanni present a workshop for children based on their Enlighten Festival 2026 illumination The Page Turner, created for the National Library.

Event

Education/learning

For kids and families

Assistance animals welcome

Wheelchair accessible

View all events