Christmas and holiday traditions we love
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
Take a festive jaunt through our image archive as we explore some of our most beloved Christmas and holiday traditions.
Luna Park: 110 years of fun
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
You can’t visit Melbourne and not at least have a selfie with the iconic entrance of Luna Park, a favourite spot for fun-seekers of any age.
Online Collection Spotlight: Berg Fashion Library
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Want to know what Monks in 1100 thought of men that wore pointed shoes? The history of headscarves and their persecution in Western fashion? Head to toe! The history of hats, hemlines, and heel heights are available at your fingertips through Berg Fashion Library.
Your local milk bar
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
Take a walk down memory lane as we explore a newly digitised collection of photographs of milkbars from the 70s and 80s taken by Melbourne photographer, Christopher van der Craats.
Melbourne’s murals: capturing a history of our street art scene
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
Melbourne is famous for its cafes, laneways and of course, its street art. CBD sites like Hosier Lane and Duckboard Place boast bright murals that people from all around the world now travel to see and to take that quintessential selfie in a painted laneway. We truly own our title as the street art capital of Australia!
Modern dance individualism: the art of Sonia Revid
Arts & literature, Ask a librarian, Dance, Such was life, Victorian history:
In 1932 Latvian born Sonia Revid brought expressionist dance to Melbourne. In Berlin in 1921 Sonia had studied under Mary Wigman, but developed her own unique style. Her performances included spoken word and introduced Melbournians to modern interpretive dance. She opened a dance school and was a notable figure in the local art scene of the 1930s. Unfortunately she died in 1947 at age 45.
From the Seine to the Yarra: Art Deco in Melbourne
Ask a librarian, Buildings & streets:
Are you a lover of Art Deco architecture? Take a tour of Melbourne city and discover the Art Deco gems we have right here.
![Christie's auction house. [199-]. Photo by Rennie Ellis. This work is in copyright; H2011.150/2778](https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/christies-120x120.jpeg)
Online Collection Spotlight: Australian Art Auction Records
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Are you curious about the value of an artwork or piece of furniture that you own? Or perhaps you are interested in what it might cost to buy a piece by Lisa Roet or Brett Whiteley? The Australian art auction record database can shed some light upon what works have sold and for how much.
Send in the clowns
Performing Arts, Photography, Theatre:
Happy or sad, straight-faced or bumbling, creepy or cute, there many different kinds of clown. Join us as we take a look at some of the lesser-known clowns in the State Library’s photo collection.
Federation Square — a brief history
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
A look back, tracing some of the history of Melbourne – on and around the site of Federation Square.
Such was life
Melbourne’s Marvelous Madame Weigel
Madame Weigel’s Journal of Fashion became a staple of Australian life for those interested in being well dressed, well presented, and well informed. This treasure trove has recently be digitised and made available online.
Arts
‘It really belongs to you people anyway…’: The story of Ken Pound
To celebrate the Children’s Book Council of Australia Week, we pay tribute to the life of children’s literature collector, Ken Pound, and the collection he has left for us all.
