Shakespeare, Bowie, Einstein: Mona opens one-of-a-kind underground library

After ten years of meticulous planning and an investment exceeding $100 million, the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Australia, has unveiled its extraordinary subterranean library, Phrontisterion. This unique institution promises a novel approach to engaging with literary and historical treasures.

“

We've developed a way for you to look at the physical book, but also then to look at a digital double of the book, and this is a digital double, unlike any that you've experienced before.

The library's collection is exceptionally rich, boasting a 1623 copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio as its crown jewel. Mona librarian Mary Lijnzaad described it as the "number one love" of her life. Beyond Shakespeare, the library houses a first edition of Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita," signed editions from literary giants like Umberto Eco, J.G. Ballard, and Hunter S. Thompson, and handwritten documents from iconic figures such as David Bowie, Walt Whitman, Albert Einstein, and Isaac Newton.

“

Most kids were limited to two books at a time. I was allowed six, and I made a serious attempt to read every book I took home. And I made a serious attempt to take home every book in the library.

Phrontisterion distinguishes itself through its innovative use of technology. It creates "live bays" and "digital doubles" of its physical collection, offering visitors an unprecedented way to interact with rare books and manuscripts. This technological integration allows for a deeper exploration of the collection, which currently includes 30,000 books, many drawn from Mona founder David Walsh's extensive private collection.

“

It's difficult to appraise, but without Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic there's a good chance that there'd be no Mona, and no library.

Walsh's lifelong passion for libraries, stemming from his childhood spent immersed in books, directly inspired Phrontisterion. His formative experiences, particularly discovering Richard Epstein's "Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic," profoundly shaped his understanding of risk, ultimately contributing to the gambling fortune that helped fund Mona and its ambitious library project. The library aims to provide a space for study and work, blending physical browsing with advanced digital access.

“

David has given us freedom to think outside of the normal constraints.