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The National Library of Australia
Title:
The National Library of Australia
NFSA ID
17663
Year
1969
Built on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, the National Library of Australia was officially established on 23 March 1961 as an addition to the cultural institutions of Australia’s national capital. Designed by Walter Bunning, the building is said to have been inspired by the Parthenon after his visit to Greece.
The National Library collects materials produced by Australians, for Australians, or about the Australian experience. It encompasses all physical and digital formats: from books, newspapers and maps to online publications, manuscripts, photos and oral histories. In 2019, it included over 7.7 million items (plus an additional 17,950 metres of manuscript material).
This excerpt from a 1969 documentary made by the Commonwealth Film Unit shows how the National Library came to life, from planning, excavation and construction to its opening in August 1968. It covers the erection of fountains, assembly of marble columns, installation of the stained glass created by Leonard French, Tom Bass' copper sculpture 'Knowledge' and the hanging of Mathieu Mategot's tapestries, commissioned specifically for the foyer.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.