World libraries: Manuscript treasures from Berlin State Library go on show in the National Library of Australia

On November 26th 2011 the National Library of Australia staged a new exhibition entitled “Handwritten. Ten Centuries of Manuscript Treasures from Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin”. This extraordinary exhibition features 100 unique manuscript treasures brought from the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library) to the library in Canberra. Spanning more than 1000 years of history, the exhibition includes exquisite illuminated manuscripts, rare letters, sketches and documents and priceless musical scores, each handwritten by major figures in literature, religion, science, music, exploration and philosophy.

Michelangelo, Newton, Mozart, Curie, Darwin, Luther, Goethe, Dickens, Kepler, Machiavelli, Beethoven, Einstein, Napoleon, Bach, Galileo, Goethe, Kafka are some of the many names represented in this exhibition. Also on display go 14 medieval manuscripts featuring works of Vergil, Augustine and Dante. Some images of handwritten texts can be viewed on the website of the National Library of Australia.

The unique collection of manuscripts from Berlin State Library is put on display at new exhibition halls of the library of Australia, which opened to coincide with the launch of a new exhibition.

The exhibition is running until March 18th 2012.