1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Function Venue
•The Library has venues to accommodate 10 to 500 people, available for seminars and conferences, corporate and government events, product and book launches.
The 132 seat Metcalfe Auditorium provides an effective venue for a wide range of presentations, seminars, meetings and lectures. Its modern decor, spot lighting and seating, facilitate comfort and concentration. Catering can be provided in ...
The Friends room is on the ground floor of the historic Mitchell Library building. This beautiful space is the original Mitchell Reading Room, opened to the public in 1910. It features enameled steel and leadlight bookcases which hold editi...
The Vestibule of the Mitchell wing features some of the finest stained glass in Sydney by artist Arthur Benfield and a magnificent white Italian Botticino marble staircase with turned balustrades. All of these features add to the neo classi...
The Dixson Room is located on the ground floor of the Mitchell wing and offers an elegant historic setting with views across the Domain and to Woolloomooloo. This is a warm and spacious room with high ceilings and original oil paintings ado...
The Gallery Room is located on the ground floor of the Mitchell building and adjoins the Friends Room. It is a warm and spacious room with high ceilings and a decorative stained glass window; it is ideal for conferences, luncheons, dinners ...
The Shakespeare Room located on the ground floor of the Mitchell wing commemorates the Three Hundredth Anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. Arthur G Benfield’s stained-glass window, the Seven Ages of Man, depicts a scene from A...
The Macquarie Room is a modern triangular shaped room, featuring a glass wall overlooking the courtyard between the old and new wings of the State Library and often used as the catering area for the Metcalfe Auditorium. The Macquarie Room i...
A state-of-the-art 344 seat auditorium located below the Mitchell Library Reading Room. The auditorium is equipped to host high-end productions and performances, and vastly expands the diversity of events offered by the State Library. ...
Featuring geometric glass ceiling, the Glasshouse is ideal for cocktail parties, conference breaks and formal dining under the stars. The Glasshouse is suitable for small displays however not suitable as an exhibition hall.
More than 300 original artworks from the Library’s unique collection of landscape and portrait paintings are on permanent public display. Located on Level 1 of the Mitchell building are the Painting’s Galleries which are available for hir...
The Library Bar is located on the rooftop of the historic Mitchell Building and features unique views across to the Harbour and city skyline. The Library Bar is available for private hire outside of opening hours. Venue hire includes ...
A magnificent library that has it all! This beautiful building is not only a public library, but has several small art exhibitions, a cafe, shop, and plenty of space to hang out and relax in. The exhibitions were impressive in their quality and scope. The library's permanent collection has many paintings of Australian landscapes and historical figures. Some of the newer exhibits, such as the one on Internment Camps, were informative and well curated.
What a lovely library. Of course, any library with a bar on the roof is delightful. (I reviewed that separately). But the library itself is gorgeous. You are greeted with a very knowledgeable person at reception, and there is a beautiful reading room. The real treat, however, is downstairs, where there is a mini-museum of sorts. Wonderful photographs and artifacts of the history of Sydney. Really quite unexpected. We actually went downstairs looking for the reading room and stumbled upon all of the photographs and artifacts. What a treat! I’m a library fan, being a writer, and feel very comfortable among stacks. I have reviewed a few other libraries around the world, but this one… this one feels special. It is now in my top 10 libraries of the world. It’s not overly grand, but it has grand elements. It still feels approachable, and again, with the pleasant people at reception and the bar on the roof, this library becomes well worth a visit! Were I to live in Sydney for a longer period, I would love to have dived into the stacks and done some research or writing and the reading room.
The State Library of New South Wales, situated in Sydney, stands as a cultural beacon, enriching knowledge and preserving heritage. Established in 1826, it holds a vast collection of books, manuscripts, artworks, and historical documents, making it a significant repository of Australian and international history. Feels like this place is an underrated museum!! They have amazing exhibitions and collections! While I absolutely enjoyed my visit in peace and quiet, I wish more people would come and appreciate the hard work! With its majestic Mitchell Library, diverse exhibitions, and commitment to education, the State Library serves as a dynamic space for research, learning, and the celebration of literature and culture, inviting visitors to explore the wealth of information that spans centuries within its historic walls!
The State Library of New South Wales is a stunning place to visit! The architecture is breathtaking, blending history and modern design seamlessly. The reading spaces are quiet and comfortable, perfect for studying or exploring. A must-visit for book lovers, researchers, and anyone seeking inspiration in Sydney!
If you enjoy reading or just a quiet place to enjoy a coffee and many artifacts of history, this library has it all. The architecture is beautiful and there’s a cafe with tea, coffee, baked goods and snacks. The Shakespeare room is really interesting. Very grounding and has many good books to glance into.
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