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  • William Blake pen engraving.
  • Stone tablet with engraved markings or characters on it.
  • Open medieval manuscript, with text on the right page and an engraving on the other side.
  • Edition of Jane Austen's Emma Volume II, with an illustrated frontispiece on the left and the title page on the right side.
Until 19 Feb

World of the Book

  • Free
  • Family and kids

Chart the rise, and restyling, of the beloved book in this one-of-a-kind exhibition on the history of book design, production and illustration from the Middle Ages to today.

From books that break the mould to books that changed the world, World of the Book features more than 200 never-before-exhibited items and celebrates the unique place books have in our hearts and minds.

This new display features a 19th-century boxed set of Jane Austen’s complete works; artist responses to Dante’s iconic Divine Comedy, from the 16th century to today; a selection of works by Jack Kerouac, and a photograph that hints at a Heide connection; a reflection on the Civil Rights Movement by Martin Luther King Jr that resonates today; and a collection of rare pirated editions of James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Sylvia Plath, Bob Dylan and Philip Roth.

Plus, see rare medieval manuscripts and sacred texts, magnificent natural history and botanical illustration, as well as children’s books, sketches and sculpture.

Dates and times

Date Times
Sat 4 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sun 5 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Mon 6 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Tue 7 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Wed 8 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Thu 9 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Fri 10 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 11 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sun 12 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Mon 13 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Tue 14 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Wed 15 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Thu 16 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Fri 17 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 18 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sun 19 Feb
  • 10am - 6pm 10:00am - 6:00pm

Location

Dome Galleries, Level 4
State Library Victoria
328 Swanston St
Melbourne 3000

Open in maps location for State Library Victoria

Price and bookings

This is a free event

Booking not required

Contact details

  • telephone number: 03 8664 7000
Visit website for World of the Book
Facebook page for World of the Book Instagram page for World of the Book Twitter page for World of the Book
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