Alert
Augustinian Reading Room

Due to an event, from June 17 to 18, 2026, the Augustinian Reading Room service will take place in the Study Reading Room of the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books.

Globe and Esperanto Museum

Due to an event, the Globe Museum, the Esperanto Museum and the reading room of the Collection of Planned Languages will not open until 11 a.m. on June 24, 2026.

State Hall

Due to an event, the State Hall will already close at 4 p.m. on June 25, 2026.

Preserving for future generations

Support the Austrian National Library in conserving precious cultural treasures such as the "Black Hours" for future generations. With your donation you make an important contribution to the continuity of our common cultural heritage and and enable the sustainable conservation of this centuries-old, priceless manuscript for future generations.

Please help! Thank you very much for your contribution.

Donate online now!

Your donation is tax deductible!

A rare masterpiece of inestimable value

The "Black Hours" of Galeazzo Maria Sforza is one of the most precious items in the Austrian National Library's collection. This rare and extremely valuable 15th-century manuscript is also known as the "Black Hours", named after its deep black parchment pages with a text in gold and silver ink and an elaborate ornamentation. However, the manuscript's unique aesthetic also poses the greatest challenge to its preservation. The iron gall ink used to colour both sides of the parchment dramatically breaks down the collagen fibres, causing the pages to become brittle. An elaborate conservation project is dealing with saving this important treasure. Your donation preserves cultural heritage!

Donate online now!

Bank account:
BAWAG (BLZ 60.000), Wiedner Gürtel 11, 1100 Vienna
BIC: BAWAATWW
IBAN: AT38-6000-0000-9605-0710

Your donation is tax deductible!

We will gladly advise you personally!

Contact:
Michaela Hübner
Sponsoring and Event Management
Tel.: +43 1 534 10-263
spenden[at]onb.ac.at

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