Due to major building activity, some collections are unavailable. Please check your requests before visiting. Learn more.
Regular opening hours
The National Library of Australia building, including the Friends Lounge, opens at 8.30am on weekdays and 9am on weekends. The building closes at 8pm Monday to Thursday and at 5pm on Fridays, weekends and public holidays. The opening hours of Bookplate, the bookshop, the exhibition galleries and the reading rooms vary and are listed below.
Please note that there are no collection deliveries during evenings or on weekends and that delivery times vary throughout the week. Check delivery times before you visit.
Reading rooms
Day | Opening hours |
---|---|
Monday to Thursday | 10am to 8pm |
Friday and Saturday* | 10am to 5pm |
Sunday* | 1.30pm to 5pm Special Collections and Petherick reading rooms are closed on Sundays |
Public holidays | Closed |
*Collection requests are not delivered on weekends. Check collection delivery times to make the most of your visit.
Treasures Gallery and Exhibition Gallery
Day | Opening hours |
---|---|
Daily | 9am to 5pm |
Good Friday | Closed |
Christmas Day | Closed |
Bookshop
Day | Opening hours |
---|---|
Daily | 9am to 5pm |
Good Friday | Closed |
Christmas Day | Closed |
Cafes
Bookplate
Day | Opening hours |
---|---|
Monday to Friday | 8:30am to 4pm |
Weekends | 9am to 4pm |
Public holidays | 9am to 3pm |
Paperplate
Day | Opening hours |
---|---|
Monday to Friday | Closed |
Weekends and public holidays | Closed |
Public holidays
The Library is closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day. Opening hours for all other public holidays are:
Location | Opening hours |
---|---|
Reading rooms | Closed |
Treasures Gallery and Exhibitions Gallery | 9am to 5pm |
Bookshop | 9am to 5pm |
Bookplate cafe | 9am to 3pm |
Paperplate cafe | Closed |
Public holidays 2023
Note: 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.
Public Holiday | Dates to be observed |
---|---|
New Year’s Day | Saturday 1 January 2023 and Monday 2 January 2023 |
Australia Day | Thursday 26 January 2023 |
Canberra Day | Monday 13 March 2023 |
Good Friday | Friday 7 April 2023 |
Easter Saturday | Saturday 8 April 2023 |
Easter Sunday | Sunday 9 April 2023 |
Easter Monday | Monday 10 April 2023 |
ANZAC Day | Tuesday 25 April 2023 |
Reconciliation Day | Monday 29 May 2023 |
Sovereign's Birthday | Monday 12 June 2023 |
Labour Day | Monday 2 October 2023 |
Christmas Day | Monday 25 December 2023 |
Boxing Day | Tuesday 26 December 2023 |