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Ned Kelly’s Armour

View of Ned Kelly armour on display in the Redmond Barry Reading Room. The armour is in a glass case.
Armour worn by Ned Kelly at the Glenrowan siege on 28 June 1880; Left shoulder plate on loan from Museums Victoria; Right shoulder plate purchased with funds from the Sundberg Bequest and the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, 2001; Snider - Enfield 0.577 - calibre long rifle belonging to Ned Kelly before 1880; Boot worn by Ned Kelly c. 1870–80, on loan from the descendants of the late Jesse Dowsett.
Credit: James Braund
Date
23 November 2023, 10:00am–31 December 2024, 6:00pm
CostFree
Bookings No bookings required
Location Redmond Barry Reading Room
State Library Victoria

Australia’s most notorious bushranger has split public opinion for more than a century – Edward ‘Ned’  Kelly is a criminal who robbed and killed to some, but a heroic underdog to others. 

Fascination with the story of Ned Kelly often centres on his body armour, worn during the final siege.

Our display of Kelly’s armour asks provocative questions about truth, mythmaking and nationhood. 

Who is Ned Kelly? What went wrong between Ned Kelly and the police? Why do we still talk about Ned today, and why is his armour at the Library?

Visit Ned Kelly’s armour and prepare to have your convictions challenged.

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