Source: State Library of NSW
For the first time, visitors to the State Library can explore five centuries of cartography from around the world in one place with the opening of the new Map Rooms.
Across two beautiful rooms visitors will find some of the most important maps, globes and navigation instruments from the Library’s maps collection – arguably the most significant in Australia.
According to State Librarian John Vallance: “The Map Rooms have been designed for everyone, but we hope they will also encourage specialist cartographic research.”
One of the major highlights is a chart of the Indian Ocean and Asia one of only four copies in the world printed on vellum by Jacob Colom in 1633.
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Plans to build a small bar on the roof of the heritage-listed Mitchell building at the State Library has been revived by the Berejiklian government in a bid to lure more visitors to the historic site.
As part of the NSW government s November pandemic budget, $12.3 million was set aside for Australia s oldest library, which will include a small function venue accessible from the Domain.
An artist s impression of a planned rooftop small bar atop the State Library.
The small bar will cater for 120 patrons and will operate seven days a week until midnight.
The government faced harsh criticism in early 2019 from heritage and architecture experts over plans to build a restaurant and function space over the iconic Mitchell reading room.