In 2024, the Austrian National Library will once again present six "special exhibits" from its extensive holdings in the State Hall.
You can help decide which objects will be exhibited via online voting. In each of the six votings, there are three objects to choose from.
The "special exhibit" on display will be accompanied by a free expert talk, a blog post and a video (only available in German).
The next online voting under the title "A voyage around the world" starts on July 15.
Which "special object" do you want to admire at a presentation? Vote now! Three exceptional objects from the holdings of the Austrian National Library are up for selection. Voting is possible from July 15 to 28, 2024. This "special exhibit" will be on display from December 3, 2024 to January 12, 2025 in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library and at an expert lecture on December 10, 2024.
In 1497, just five years after Christopher Columbus reached America and mistook it for India, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama set out on a momentous voyage. After ten months he finally reached India, thus becoming the first person to successfully navigate the sea passage around the Cape of Good Hope. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of his death, three very different and extraordinary objects from the collections of the Austrian National Library invite visitors on a voyage around the world.
Thank you for voting!
The result will be displayed on this website starting July 29, 2024.
The winner of the online voting "Everything for dogs and cats. Extraordinary animal objects" is object 1: „Leo Belgicus“ (map, 1656). The winning object will be on display in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library from May 28 to July 28, 2024.
The winner of our most recent online voting "The dream of flying. Of flying machines and balloon flights" for the special exhibit is object 3: "Vienna seen from a balloon – from the southwest" (Tinted lithograph, c. 1850). The winning object will be on display in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library from July 29 to September 29, 2024 and will be presented at an expert lecture (in German) on July 30.
The winner of our most recent online voting "In the Salon" for the special exhibit is object 3: "New and improved question and answer cards" (parlor game, c. 1860). The winning object will be on display in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library from September 30 to December 1, 2024 and will be presented at an expert lecture (in German) on October 8.