Previously closed to the public for sixteen years, The Ian Potter Queen’s Hall has recently reopened after an historic redevelopment. The original skylights, covered during renovation works in the 1970s, have been uncovered and flood the reading room with natural light. As a result of renovations, the 1860 decorative paint scheme was surprisingly revealed. Finally, a design and architectural marvel of its time  can now once again be enjoyed by the public.

By day, The Ian Potter Queen’s Hall functions as a reading room and house the Australian literature, chess and bridge collections. By night, it transforms into a special event space, taking full advantage of its historic setting. This incredible venue offers charm, rich history and class which is simply unmatched.

The Ian Potter Foundation is the lead philanthropic donor for the refurbishment of the Library’s historic Queen’s Hall through a $10 million donation from the Foundation. The donation is the largest grant ever made by The Ian Potter Foundation’s education program and the largest donation ever received by the State Library