Building hours

• Monday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
• Friday: 8am to 5pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 5pm
• Public holidays: 9am to 5pm
• Good Friday and Christmas Day: Closed

Reading rooms

Find out more about our reading rooms.

Main Reading Room

• Monday to Thursday: 10am to 8pm
• Friday and Saturday: 10am to 5pm
• Sunday: 1:30pm to 5pm
• Public holidays: Closed

Special Collections Reading Room

• Monday to Thursday: 10am to 8pm
• Friday and Saturday: 10am to 5pm
• Sunday: Closed
• Public holidays: Closed

Petherick Reading Room

• Monday to Thursday: 10am to 8pm
• Friday and Saturday: 10am to 5pm
• Sunday: Closed
• Public holidays: Closed

Collection deliveries

We do not deliver collection requests during evenings or on weekends. 

Check detailed collection delivery times.

Cafes

About the Bookplate and Paperplate cafes

Bookplate

• Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 4pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 4pm
• Public holidays: 9am to 4pm
• Good Friday and Christmas Day: Closed

Paperplate

• Monday to Friday: 9 am to 3 pm
• Closed on weekends and public holidays

Bookshop

• Monday to Sunday: 9am to 5pm
• Public holidays: 9am to 5pm
• Good Friday and Christmas Day: Closed

You can shop online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Galleries

Exhibition Gallery

• Monday to Sunday: 9am to 5pm
• Public holidays: 9am to 5pm
• Good Friday and Christmas Day: Closed

Treasures Gallery

• Monday to Sunday: 9am to 5pm
• Public holidays: 9am to 5pm
• Good Friday and Christmas Day: Closed

Friends Lounge

Due to major building works, the Friends Lounge is temporarily closed.

Public holidays 2026

Public holidays as observed in the Australian Capital Territory.

When a public holiday falls on a weekend a subsequent or additional date may be observed.