The most beautiful books from seven nations

What makes a book beautiful, courageous or groundbreaking today? The exhibition “The most beautiful books from seven nations” explores this question and presents outstanding design from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine. On display are publications that appeared in 2024 and were awarded prizes in 2025. The works make current trends visible and celebrate the diversity of contemporary book art.

The show, curated by the typographische gesellschaft austria (tga) in collaboration with the Hauptbücherei Wien, brings together books that have been recognized as particularly innovative by international juries. Their design shows courage, attitude and a desire to experiment – books that are not just objects, but spaces for thought and possibility.

In addition to the exhibition itself, several book talks invite you to delve deeper: including discussions with international designers from Slovenia, Switzerland and the Czech Republic – from poetic narratives to award-winning typography. Anyone who wants to understand where book design is heading and why the medium is gaining in expressiveness despite digitalization should not miss these events.

If you love design, typography, book culture or visual narratives, there is no way around this exhibition.

Exhibition details

Main Library Vienna, Urban-Loritz-Platz 2a, 1070 Vienna
17. December 2025 – February 21, 2026
Free admission: during regular opening hours

Book talks (every Tuesday, 19:00):

• January 27, 2026 – Špela Frlic & Ana Zavadlav (SLO)
• February 3, 2026 – Vela Arbutina (CH), Jan Tschichold Prize winner 2025
• February 17, 2026 – Michaela Kukovičová & Magdalena Rutová (CZ)

After Vienna, the exhibition will move on to the designforum Vorarlberg (Campus Väre) – around mid-March until the end of May 2026.

Subject to change without notice.