The Public Library (detail), 1860, Nicholas Chevalier, watercolour, gift of Mr McEwan, 1965
Thursday 30 May 2013 - Sunday 2 February 2014
Free
Discover the cultural centrepiece of 19th-century Melbourne and the grand vision that inspired it
This free exhibition traces the first 60 years of the Melbourne Public Library (now the State Library of Victoria), from its founding in 1853 to the opening of the magnificent dome in 1913. The Library and the cultural institutions that shared its site – the museum, gallery and art schools – were established by a group of colonial liberals including judge Sir Redmond Barry and architect Joseph Reed. They aimed to create a civic centre that was secular, democratic and enlightened.
The exhibition is curated by Harriet Edquist, Professor of Architecture at RMIT, as part of the Library’s Dome Centenary celebrations.
