A whole city of libraries, archives and old bookshops throws open its doors for ten days. Melbourne Rare Book Week returns from 23 July to 1 August 2026, with more than 40 free talks, tours and exhibitions held across the city’s libraries, museums and heritage collections. Most events are free, though the popular ones book out fast, and quite a few already have. The good news is that the festival’s hero event, the Melbourne Rare Book Fair, is free to enter, with no booking required.