A 17th-century First Folio of Shakespeare’s works, the only copy in Tasmania, is the centrepiece of a new $100 million library at Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona).
The library, called Phrontisterion, opened to the public on Sunday. It houses founder David Walsh’s collection of rare books, maps and autographed documents.
It is Mona’s biggest extension since the museum opened in 2011, adding about 50% more space.
Mona CEO Philippa Hall said the project took four years and cost “just north of $100 million” for the whole wing, including its tunnels.
“It’s one of those builds that you’re really proud to be a part of,” Hall said.
Workers removed about 20,000 cubic metres of soil and rock during the dig, the equivalent of roughly eight Olympic swimming pools.
A 40-metre curved tunnel connects the library to the rest of the museum.
The collection holds more than 50,000 books, with just under 30,000 on site so far. It has grown from a wall of about 800 books over 26 years.
Library manager Mary Lijnzaad said the Shakespeare First Folio was her favourite.
“The most significant book and my number one love in my life, we have a first folio of William Shakespeare’s works,” Lijnzaad said.
“It’s the only copy in Tasmania.”
The library also holds autographed documents by people like Isaac Newton, Oliver Cromwell and Charles Darwin.
Lijnzaad said the collection revealed a lot about Walsh.
“If you really want to know David Walsh, browse his bookshelves,” she said.
Unusually, the library does not use the Dewey Decimal system. Books can be placed anywhere and still be found through Mona’s O device.
The technology was developed by Art Processors, whose founding principal Nic White said Walsh’s brief was to ditch traditional cataloguing.
“He wants books to be placed arbitrarily and still know where they are inside of the library,” White said.
White said no one else had attempted it on this scale.
“We’re not aware of anyone else who’s done that,” he said.
The library is now open, with more books being added daily.
