There’s something magical about a book that doesn’t just sit still. Pages that unfold into castles, wheels that spin to reveal new scenes, flaps hiding surprises underneath. If your kids have ever gasped at a pop-up book, this exhibition is going to blow their minds.
Pull Pop Push is a new exhibition at the State Library of South Australia that celebrates the art of movable books. We’re talking pop-ups, wheels, tunnels, sound books, flap-books and all sorts of clever paper engineering that transforms flat pages into scenes that practically leap off the page.
Drawn from the State Library’s collections, including the Children’s Literature Research Collection, the exhibition showcases how these ingeniously designed books work their magic. And the best part? Your kids won’t just be looking at these treasures behind glass.
Bigger than life
The exhibition brings movable book concepts to life through scale, perspective and reveal. Little ones can step through immersive, larger-than-life recreations of iconic works, look behind the scenes to discover how movable books actually work, and trace the evolution of paper engineering from early scientific tools to the much-loved children’s books we know today.
It’s the kind of experience that sparks curiosity in kids and reminds grown-ups why we fell in love with books in the first place.
Visit details
Pull Pop Push is on now and runs until 24 January 2027, so there’s plenty of time to visit. Entry is free, and the exhibition is located in the State Library Gallery, Spence Wing (Ground floor).
Opening hours:
- Monday to Tuesday: 9am to 6pm
- Wednesday: 9am to 7pm
- Thursday: 9am to 6pm
- Friday: 9am to 8pm
- Saturday: 10am to 5pm
- Sunday: 12pm to 5pm
The exhibition is closed on public holidays.
Created for the young, the curious and the young at heart, Pull Pop Push is a playful, visually engaging experience that celebrates imagination, creativity and the wonder of stories brought to life. Whether your kids are obsessed with lift-the-flap books or you want to introduce them to the clever engineering behind their favourite pop-ups, this one’s worth adding to your list.
State Library Gallery, Spence Wing (Ground floor).
slsa.sa.gov.au/events/pull-pop-push
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