Programme
The Special Exhibit

The Special Exhibit

Programme

You vote, we exhibit!

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 with the titel "Once upon a time… "starts on January 21, 2025.

The current special exhibit The next special exhibit The following special exhibit

December 2, 2024 – January 12, 2025

Mondvojaĝantoj – World Traveller

The winner of our most recent online voting "A voyage around the world" for the special exhibit is object 3: "Mondvojaĝantoj – World Traveller" (photograph, 1911). The winning object will be on display in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library from December 2, 2024 to January 12, 2025. Read more about it in ourresearch blog(in German).

At the beginning of the 20th century, three young men from the Netherlands – Abraham Mossel, Frans van der Hoorn and Gerard Perfors – were motivated by the same ideals to embark on an ambitious adventure. As pacifists, vegetarians and Esperanto speakers, they were committed to social equality and sought freedom in nature. On 16 July 1911, in Amsterdam, they began a journey around the world that they had planned for eight years, but that was brought to an abrupt end by the First World War. They made their way as far as Palestine, mostly on foot, via Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Eastern Europe, and Egypt.

January 14, 2025 – March 9, 2025

The velvet and sable of Siegmund Baron von Herberstein

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: "The velvet and sable of Siegmund Baron von Herberstein" (book, Vienna, 1560). The winning object will be on display in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library from January 14 to March 9, 2025 and will be presented at an expert lecture (in German) on January 21, 2025.

In the first half of the 16th century, Siegmund Baron von Herberstein travelled all over Europe as an envoy of the House of Habsburg, including to the court of the Grand Duke of Moscow. His activities as a diplomat in the service of the Emperor were also reflected in his outward appearance. Unusually for the time, however, Herberstein added six full-page woodcuts of himself to his autobiography "Sigmund Freyherr zů Herberstain Neyperg vnd Guttenhag oberster Erbcamrer vnd oberster Druchsas in Kärnttn [...]", printed in Vienna in 1560. They show him in the splendid robes he wore at audiences with the Habsburg Emperor, the Grand Duke of Moscow or the Turkish Sultan, or which he had received as gifts from these rulers.

March 11 – April 27, 2025

Francesco Colonna: Hypnerotomachie, ou discours du songe 

The winner of our most recent online voting "Farewell spring fever" for the special exhibit is object 3: "Francesco Colonna: Hypnerotomachie, ou discours du songe" (Book, Paris, 1546). The winning object will be on display in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library from March 11 to April 27, 2025 and will be presented at an expert lecture (in German) on March 18, 2025.

In a dream, Poliphilo (Poliphile in French) sets off in search of his beloved Polia. He wanders through an enchanted landscape, encountering scenes and figures from ancient mythology and ancient Egyptian culture. But his joy at finding Polia is short-lived: on the island of Kythera, the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, she slips away, and he realises that it was all just a dream. This allegorical novel by Francesco Colonna was published in Venice in 1499 and was met with an enthusiastic reception, not least because of the many delightful woodcuts. The French translation by Jean Martin became a bestseller of its time, with rich illustrations modelled on the woodcuts of the Italian first edition.