National Library of Australia
Library, Art Gallery, and History Museum
Parkes
"Upgraded main reading room is fantastic!"(3 Tips)
"Order a latte at The Bookplate"(2 Tips)
"... you with obtaining a library card, requesting books, and learning about Trove..."(2 Tips)
"The meals are huge at the Book Plate café"(6 Tips)
22 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- reading room
- bookplate
- books
- café
- coffee
- (5 more)
Sort:
- Popular
- Recent
Upgraded main reading room is fantastic! Newspaper selection is limited- no Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Straits Times, South China Morning Post or Le Monde.
M SNovember 21, 2013Helpful staff will assist you with obtaining a library card, requesting books, and learning about Trove (an awesome resource!). The current maps exhibit is super cool, too!
Ehma JohnstonNovember 23, 2015New locker instructions could be clearer - code locks and unlocks without you having to set one first. So open empty locker, stash you gear, *then* input code to lock and retrieve.
Digital Scanning is free, but you need to have a little bit of credit on your library card.
Nat SNovember 13, 2011Don't forget like i did that the reading room doesn't open on Sunday till 1.30pm. Thank god for the free wireless and outdoor cafe!
Get the iPhone app and request your books from your phone. It tells you when they've arrived in the reading room.
Chiquita AbidinSeptember 21, 2011The view outside is spectacular on a sunny day. Order coffee and sit outside!
- New procedures mean you have to go through the "Auschwitz" routine. No bags over 30x30x30cm which means no laptop bags.
- Times and New York Times copies are a week old! In 2015! Only in Australia.
- Kai HuangFebruary 19, 2011Register the membership and then find the book you want and click 'get it'. Most books will be available within 45 minutes. However none can be taken away.
- Go downstairs to level LG1 to find the Paperplate cafe - much cheaper and more casual than Bookplate
- Lyn HayAugust 2, 2010Order a latte at The Bookplate, great way to start our #sv2010 Canberra study visit
194 Photos
Foursquare © 2025 Lovingly made in NYC, CHI, SEA & LA
Closed until 10:00 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Thu
- 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
- Fri–Sat
- 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Sun
- 1:30 PM–5:00 PM
+61 2 6262 1111
Features
Wi-Fi
Free
Outdoor Seating
Yes
See More
Places inside National Library of Australia
- 6.8
"One of better "attached to an institution" cafe's. The terrace is beautiful with grand views of the lake, the food is pretty damn fine too. The large coffee comes in a bowl!!"
Tomfoolery - 6.9
"Ok for local books, otherwise National Portrait Gallery has a better shop - including the gift and book selections both."
Chinchew Palsu 
"Better value than the place upstairs, however it's in a basement. You're best off taking your food/drink outside."
Chinchew Palsu
You might also like
- 5.2
"Not a place that you could use your own netbook if you need power socket"
Syarifah A. Latip 
"Story time for toddlers is on Thursdays at 10.30am, and there is usually coloring or a craft activity for the kids afterwards. Loads of fun for families."
Dahlia Martin
"Small quiet library with super helpful staff"
JH H-D
Places people like to go after National Library of Australia
- 8.7
"Check out the free shows. They are awesome for all ages."
Janelle LJ - 9.0
"Love the architecture and the precinct. Often interesting shows and an interesting collection in their own right. Always enjoy a visit here."
Stan Hunter - 9.3
"Nice gallery cafe and shop, definitely worth visiting when in canberra"
Victoria Mifsud
Appears on 18 lists
Created by Where's Alice Bliss?
21 items • 2 followers
Libraries and Archives in Canberra
Created by Kathleen Cobcroft
27 items • 9 followers