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.
Our stories
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.
Medieval lives: Working women in English society, 1300–1500
Our stories, People & professions:
Until the late 20th century, the important role played by medieval women in the peasant household was largely ignored by historians.
Women changing the world, part three: Physical autonomy
Arts & literature, Our stories, Politics, Social life & customs:
In the third and final part of our exploration of works by women that have changed our world, we focus on women’s reproductive rights.
Women changing the world, part two: political equality
Arts & literature, Our stories, Politics, Social life & customs:
Campaigns to secure the right to vote for women helped progress women’s political equality. Discover the ground-breaking women leading the charge through the rare books in this ‘World of the book’ display.
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.
Precious correspondence from Australian feminist, writer and poet Mary Fullerton
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Within the papers of a Victorian farmer from Beaconsfield, are a series of letters from his aunt, Mary Fullerton, an Australian author and a vocal member of the women’s suffrage movement.
Women changing the world, part one: intellectual equality
Arts & literature, Our stories, Politics, Social life & customs:
Explore the history of the struggle for women’s equality – intellectual, political, and physical – in this three-part series.
A determined dreamer: the life and art of Phyl Waterhouse
Arts & literature, Our stories:
A prolific artist, Phyl Waterhouse is represented in the collections of most major Australian galleries, although she arguably did not receive sufficient critical attention in her lifetime.
‘Here for you’: a new original artwork
The Library forecourt has been the backdrop for 163 years of social change. Now it is emblazoned with the faces of influential change-makers from Australia’s history.
