World of the Book
Jane Austen. Octavia Butler. Agatha Christie. Toni Morrison. Virginia Woolf.
World of the Book returns in 2026 with State Library Victoria's largest ever tribute to women writers, alongside hundreds of extraordinary Australian and international works from the State Collection.
Now in its 21st year, Australia’s longest running and most-loved book exhibition brings together more than 400 rare, remarkable and historically significant items from c. 2000 BCE to today, many on public display for the first time.
Free exhibition
Date
4 July 2026 – 16 May 2027
Location
Dome Galleries, Level 4
Exhibition Themes
The latest World of the Book exhibition is broken down into 5 themes: Books and Ideas, Books and Imagination, Exploring the World, Art and Nature, and Artists and Books. Click through the below images to learn more about these themes, plus find some of the books showcased in this year's exhibition.
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Books and Ideas
The history of ideas is mirrored in the history of the book.
Highlights
Travel through the history of the book and marvel at a newly acquired first edition of Jane Austen's Emma (1816) originally owned by the Austen family; the Melbourne international blockbuster that outsold Sherlock Holmes, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, published in 1886; and 17th- and 18th-century printed and manuscript amulets and talismans from Europe and Mongolia.
You'll also discover incredible examples of moveable books, ‘blow’ books and miniature books; one of the oldest printed texts in the world, the Hyakumantō Darani of Japan; and Melbourne's Sugar and Snails Press, one of the earliest publishers of non-sexist children’s books.
You'll also discover incredible examples of moveable books, ‘blow’ books and miniature books; one of the oldest printed texts in the world, the Hyakumantō Darani of Japan; and Melbourne's Sugar and Snails Press, one of the earliest publishers of non-sexist children’s books.
Videos
A look inside World of the Book
Rare Pop-Up Books in the Library's Collection
Accessibility
Accessible resources
The World of the Book exhibition labels are available to view or download in multiple formats.
Resources
Rare Books
Uncover the amazing breadth of the Library's Rare Books Collection.
Marvel at old, valuable, famous and beautiful works – including our collection of medieval manuscripts and many significant first editions – and discover the fascinating history of the book as a tangible object, from cuneiform tablet to contemporary artists' books.
Marvel at old, valuable, famous and beautiful works – including our collection of medieval manuscripts and many significant first editions – and discover the fascinating history of the book as a tangible object, from cuneiform tablet to contemporary artists' books.
The World of the Book
The World of the Book celebrates manuscripts and publications in all their varying forms.
Sumptuously illustrated with rare items from State Library Victoria's collections, this treasure chest of a book invites idle browsing as much as avid reading.
Sumptuously illustrated with rare items from State Library Victoria's collections, this treasure chest of a book invites idle browsing as much as avid reading.
