illustrations of Australian flowers with the text Beauty Rich and Rare

Beauty Rich and Rare: The Story Continues

Created to complement our Cook and the Pacific exhibition, Beauty Rich and Rare (22 September 2018 - 19 February 2019) reimagines the National Library of Australia’s collections in an immersive sound and light digital experience. This unique digital experience illuminates the natural beauty of Australia as seen through the eyes of Joseph Banks, the acclaimed English botanist who sailed with Cook on his first Pacific voyage in 1766 – and, for whom, the quintessentially Australian Banksia was named.

When commissioning Beauty Rich and Rare, we asked “what happens when 250-year-old artworks, letters and journals meet the latest in digital storytelling technology?” To answer this question, we also hosted a panel of digital experts to discuss how we use new and emerging technologies to change the way we tell stories. You can listen to Digital Storytelling: Bringing the Past to Life online.

Designed by AGB Events, creators of Sydney’s Vivid light show, Beauty Rich and Rare, has since toured internationally and was on display at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.

Beauty Rich and Rare will open in Townsville in October 2020.

You can also view the full work online in AGB's digital theatre.

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

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