The State Library of South Australia

For those looking to live out their The Secret History, If We Were Villains, or Harry Potter dreams, look no further than the State Library.

Between its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, gorgeous heritage and winding staircases, the library has you feeling like a fine arts student with a dark secret and a caffeine addiction (in the best way possible).

Intrigued? Let’s take a deep-dive into what makes this place so brilliant, from its features and history to its range of activities and events - which are free, by the way.

Features and history

The State Library features three main buildings: the Institute Building, the Mortlock Wing and the Spence Wing.

Let’s begin with the oldest building, shall we? The Institute Building, which opened in 1861, is often considered Adelaide’s early university.

According to the library site, it originally housed the library itself, a reading room, an art gallery, a museum, academic societies and schools, and a lecture space. What a dream…

Now, while its stunning Colonial building design, wooden staircase plus mezzanine, and detailed cornicing remain, it houses the Adelaide Circulating Library and the Centre of Democracy (more on the latter later).

Now onto my favourite - the Mortlock Wing.

Opened in 1884, the French Renaissance-style building with its Victorian public library interior is considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world - and rightly so.

Its chamber is three storeys high - the lower floor featuring historic exhibitions, the upper two featuring floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and study desks - with gold-ornamented balconies and a glass-domed lantern roof.

It's stunning to the extent that, the first time I visited, I spent a good few minutes standing motionless, staring up at the expanse of old books and beautiful architecture, wishing I could live there.

Now, onto the last building - the Spence Wing.

Formerly the Bastyan Wing, the Spence Wing opened in 2003 following significant re-development. It forms a link between the Mortlock Wing and Institute Building.

The Wing gets its name from Catherine Helen Spence, a writer and social activist who became Australia’s first female journalist and political candidate - an amazing woman.

Now, the Spence Wing may not be as pretty as the other two buildings, but it certainly has all a student/researcher could ask for.

It features a library cafe, study rooms, a newspaper-reading area, a range of collections and archive material, computers and wifi, and an extensive selection of non-fiction texts.

Activities and events

If you’re not in the mood to study, there’s plenty of other bookish fun to be had in the State Library.

The Centre of Democracy - located in the Institute Building - is a fascinating, interactive exhibition on Australia’s democratic history.

It runs through our past political leaders, legislation, and how everyday people can and have shaped the world.

It also highlights colonisation’s impact on Indigenous peoples and discusses the importance of social justice movements for advancing the rights of women and minorities.

Another exhibition currently showing in the Institute Building is ‘South Australia: A Liveable State’.

The exhibition features gorgeous photography from local high school students who have “celebrated their state as a desirable place to live”. It inspired me to go on a long nature walk.

And - for those who celebrate Christmas - a trip to the Morlock Chamber promises to be even more astounding than usual at the moment.

A ginormous Christmas tree stands in the centre of the chamber, adorned with lights, baubles, and a glowing star.

At its base is a cosy red chair and stack of Christmas books to read. There’s a collection of antique children’s toys on display, too.

Not to mention, on December 11, the Mortlock Chamber is hosting its ‘A Ceremony of Carols’, a free concert of Christmas music featuring a choir accompanied by harp. Booking is required - find out more here.

And there we have it - a deep-dive into what makes the State Library so brilliant.

Go forth and explore - or study - and live out your academia dreams surrounded by old books and mysterious staircases.