I had a tour plan for all the 10 days that I was at Sydney. On this day, I decided to walk to the State Library of New South Wales (NSW) through the Royal Botanic Gardens from Circular Quay. I loved walking through the Botanic Gardens, and therefore, all my walks included the Gardens!
I also enjoyed switching off Internet/Mobile Data on my phone; when in doubt about route, I would ask people. People were friendly, and like to talk; I got a few tips about places to see. As I walked out of the Royal Botanic Garden, I saw the majestic Library. This library is situated at the corner of Macquarie Street and Shakespeare Place. Check the public transport available to reach this destination, and the library timings.
The main door is impressive; made of solid iron casting. The Tasman's map of the World, on the floor, caught my attention. And then the Mitchell Reading Room took my breath away. What a spectacular room, I say! The amount of books is overwhelming. The stained glass panels are beautiful. I spend a lot of time at this library.
On the day that I visited the library, Canon World Press Photo 16 had a display of photos, and it was Free! The library staff informed me about it, and insisted that I visited the exhibition first. I'm glad that I did. The photos were about the war and such; disturbing yet brilliant. Yes, children were not allowed entry, and the staff took extra precaution to keep children from randomly walking in to this area.
What can I say about the Shakespeare room? It's worth a visit. There's a free tour as well; gives more inform about the place. Check out the delicate work on the ceilings. I am not providing extensive details of the collections available at this library; please check Wikipedia or Library's website for more information.
The library has a cafe and a bookstore as well. Got something to eat/drink, and bought a book about Australian Birds. I was ready to retrace my steps to Circular Quay via the Botanic Gardens. What an eventful day!
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| State Library of NSW |
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| Stained glass panels, a sample |
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| Shakespeare room |
Regards,
Asha
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