A little history of Queen’s Hall
‘The Queen’s Reading Room’ opened on 24 May 1859 when the south wing of the Library was completed. Restoration works began in 2017 and in 2019, the space was re-opened to the public as the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall.
Articles by: admin
The day the Sea Fury came to visit
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
It’s not every day that you see an aeroplane parked outside the Library, but this was the sight that greeted Victorians when they came to visit in 1953.
Meet Olivia Muscat, Volunteer Storyteller
Meet Olivia Muscat, writer, theatre critic, disability advocate,
educator, 2020 recipient of the Lesley Hall scholarship and Family
Programs volunteer!
Make your own 19th-century paper puppy
Today we paws to celebrate the work of 19th-century Australian artist ST Gill, the subject of our new exhibition Australian sketchbook: Colonial life and the art of ST Gill.
A considered approach to the conservation of the McCrae family collection
Collection Care, Conservation, Our stories:
Kathleen Rowbottom, Professional Placement, Conservation, Collections Care. The papers of the McCrae family collection are extensive and feature a range of different objects: from bound volumes such as scrapbooks, diaries… Read More ›
A hidden treasure, no more: Conservation treatment of ‘View of the north shore’
Collection Care, Conservation, Our stories:
Conservation treatment has returned strength and aesthetic unity to this vibrant watercolour, allowing this important artwork to be appreciated by the public once more.
Evolution of a fiery redhead
One of the most enduring figures in Australian popular culture is ‘Miss Redhead’, who first appeared on the Bryant and May Redheads matchbox label in 1947.
Hang ten with Rennie Ellis
Rennie Ellis combined his two true loves of surfing and photography when he captured the thrills of the annual Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. A dozen of Ellis’s surf photographs are featured in The changing face of Victoria exhibition, ranging from 1970 to the mid-’80s.
A darkroom on wheels
Cities & towns, Such was life:
An itinerant immigrant from Scotland took some fascinating photos of the Western District in the 1850s.
Melbourne’s lost department stores
Buildings & streets, Our stories, Social life & customs:
Melbourne and shopping have been hand in glove since the 1880s, and at its peak the city flaunted more than a dozen department stores.
