What's on

Looking for something fun to do, with a cultural twist? Take a look at our events and exhibitions! We host all kinds of talks, workshops, films, guided tours and more, for audiences across all age groups, including families. Our events help you get to know our amazing collections and tell the story of Victoria's history. Many events – including our exhibitions – are free.

Featured events & exhibitions

Friday, 4 August 2017–Sunday, 26 November 2017

Looped: artist books in the round

Friday, 11 August 2017–Sunday, 12 November 2017

Self-made: zines and artist books

bookings required

Tuesday, 5 September 2017 - 6:00pm–6:30pm

Curator floortalks: 'Self-made'

Bookings required

Thursday, 24 August 2017 - 2:00pm–3:30pm

Search & find

Wednesday, 6 September 2017 - 10:00am–1:00pm

Play Pod party!

All events & exhibitions

Daily

Cowen Gallery exhibition

Enjoy the Library's free permanent exhibition of oil paintings and portrait sculptures.

Cost: Free

09 April 2015–04 June 2018

Writing the war: personal stories from WWI

Hear extraordinary stories of war in this moving exhibition about the Australian experience of WWI.

Cost: Free

Touring exhibition

Daily

Play Pod

Play Pod is the Library's program for children aged under eight years, packed with activities to read, create and play.

Cost: Free

10 June 2016–20 January 2018

Story Island: an adventure in pictures

Come on a journey of imagination at your local public library to touch the skin of a dragon, tickle a wombat’s furry tummy and hide away in a reading pod!

Cost: Free

touring exhibition

Daily

The changing face of Victoria

Visit a remarkable free exhibition that tells the stories of the people, places and events that have shaped Victoria.

Cost: Free

Daily

Mirror of the world: books and ideas

Delight in the Mirror of the world: books and ideas exhibition, and discover the many rare and beautiful books held in our collections.

Cost: Free

09 January 2017–15 December 2017

'Changing face of Victoria' tour

Visit the La Trobe Reading Room and see highlights of the 'Changing face of Victoria' exhibition in this free guided tour, held daily at 2pm except public holidays and except from 22 May to 2 June 2017.

Cost: Free

09 January 2017–15 December 2017

'Mirror of the world' tour

Visit the La Trobe Reading Room and see highlights of the 'Mirror of the world' exhibition on this free guided tour, running daily at 11.30am.

Cost: Free

28 July 2017–10 January 2018

50 years of La Mama

Celebrate 50 year's of experimental local theatre in this free display of images of Melbourne's iconic La Mama Theatre.

Cost: Free

04 August 2017–26 November 2017

Looped: artist books in the round

Experience Gracia & Louise's special artist book unfold 'in the round' in the heritage dais in the domed La Trobe Reading Room.

Cost: Free

11 August 2017–12 November 2017

Self-made: zines and artist books

Discover the evolution of do-it-yourself publishing in this free exhibition of fanzines, punk zines, underground press publications and artist books designed to buck the commercial gallery system.

Cost: Free

24 August 2017, 10:30am–11:00am

Storytime

Have fun every Wednesday and Thursday with stories, songs, rhymes and creative activities for children aged three to five, their parents and carers.

Cost: Free

24 August 2017, 11:00am–12:15pm

Author in-conversation: Robert La Nauze on George Thwaites & sons

Join author Robert La Nauze in conversation with Graeme Davison on 'Made to order', his book on colonial cabinet makers George Thwaites and sons.

Cost: Free

booked out

24 August 2017, 11:30am–12:00pm

Baby bounce

Share this fun session of stories, songs and rhymes with children aged two and under, held three times a week.

Cost: Free

24 August 2017, 2:00pm–3:30pm

Search & find

Improve your online research skills in this one-hour workshop.

Cost: Free

Bookings required

24 August 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: The first royal tour

Revisit the pomp and ceremony of the first ever British royal tour in 1867, in this free 'Dome after dark' talk.

Cost: Free

booked out

24 August 2017, 6:00pm–6:45pm

'Self-made' tour

See highlights of the 'Self-made: zines and artist books' exhibition of underground publications and artist books in a free guided tour, held every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday except public holidays.

Cost: Free

26 August 2017, 1:00pm–2:00pm

Ned Kelly tour

Discover the story of Victoria’s infamous bushranger Ned Kelly in this free guided tour running every Wednesday and Saturday, except public holidays and except from 24 to 31 May 2017.

Cost: Free

29 August 2017, 10:30am–11:00am

Welcome to the Library tour

Take a free guided tour exploring the Library’s many spaces and services – tours run every Tuesday, except public holidays.

Cost: Free

02 September 2017, 2:30pm–3:30pm

Strike a pose

Peek into the elegant and sometimes outrageous world of post-1970s Australian fashion photography. This free conversation shares iconic works by renowned photographers Rennie Ellis, Helmut Newton, Athol Shmith and others.

Cost: Free

Booked out

05 September 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Curator floortalks: 'Self-made'

Hear curator Monica Syrette talk about the free exhibition 'Self-made: zines and artist books', which showcases do-it-yourself publications, artist books and underground publications.

Cost: Free

bookings required

06 September 2017, 10:00am–1:00pm

Play Pod party!

Join us for a morning of songs, dancing and games inspired by Nick Bland's 'The very noisy bear'!

Cost: Free

07 September 2017, 1:30pm–3:00pm

Dome to dungeons tour

Take a tour behind the scenes and explore the Library from top to bottom.

Cost: Free

bookings required

07 September 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: A prince & his poodle

Meet Prince Rupert of Bohemia, nephew of Charles I of England, and his pet dog, Boy in this exhibition talk.

Cost: Free

bookings required

08 September 2017, 6:00pm–8:00pm

Pictures & music: Rhonda Senbergs slide night

Join us for a sound-tracked slideshow of photography from late Australian pioneer multimedia artist, Rhonda Senbergs.

Cost: Free

bookings required

14 September 2017, 10:15am–12:15pm

Newsworthy

Learn how to find our newspapers in hard copy, online and microfilm, and to search for individual articles.

Cost: Free

Bookings required

19 September 2017, 2:00pm–3:30pm

Using eresources from home

Learn to access ebooks, newspapers and journal articles from the comfort of home.

Cost: Free

bookings required

21 September 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: Land ownership and the Kelly Gang

Dig deeper into the backstory of the infamous Kelly Outbreak in this talk about Charles Gavan Duffy’s contentious 1862 Land Act.

Cost: Free

bookings required

22 September 2017–29 September 2017

If the city could speak

Pay a special visit to State Library Victoria’s majestic domed La Trobe Reading Room, which will come alive with sound as Tintin Wulia presents an immersive public artwork using sound, books and paper.

Cost: Free

22 September 2017, 7:00pm–9:00pm

Australian poetry slam Victorian state final

Attend a live literary performance competition where the audience is the judge!

Cost: Free

Booked out

23 September 2017, 10:00am–4:00pm

Tonerpalooza 2

Don’t miss the chance to nab rare zines from celebrated independent makers at the Tonerpalooza 2 zine fair.

Cost: Free

26 September 2017–28 September 2017

School holiday program: Story Camp

Meet and learn from some of Australia's most exciting and inspiring storytellers in a free school holiday workshop for 12 to 15-year-olds.

Cost: Free for young people from eligible schools

Sept bookings open

27 September 2017, 12:30pm–1:00pm

Melbourne Youth Orchestras: Moments of beauty

Delight in a series of pop-up performances in the Library's most glorious spaces to commemorate 50 years of Melbourne Youth Orchestra (MYO).

Cost: Free

02 October 2017, 10:00am–2:00pm

School holiday activity: Imagined instruments

Invent a music-making machine from everyday materials and start your own family band in this workshop for kids and grown-ups.

Cost: Free

02 October 2017, 4:30pm–5:30pm

2017 Inky Awards ceremony

Meet shortlisted authors, go behind the scenes with teen judges and be among the first to applaud the 2017 Inky's winners!

Cost: Free

Bookings required

03 October 2017, 10:30am–12:00pm

School holiday workshop: Sounds of the Library

Bring the whole family along to a musical adventure in the Library and join a workshop to make some of your own electronic tunes.

Cost: Free

bookings required

03 October 2017, 6:30pm–7:30pm

Writers on writers launch

Join authors Alice Pung and Erik Jensen to launch 'Writers on writers', a new book series in which six authors reflect on another Australian writer who has inspired and influenced them.

Cost: Free

bookings required

05 October 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: The Reformation will be printed

Find out how the 1517 publication of Augustinian friar Martin Luther’s Ninety-five theses, or Disputation on the power of indulgences sparked what we now call the Reformation.

Cost: Free

bookings required

05 October 2017, 6:30pm–8:00pm

Joseph Kosuth artist talk

Join us for a special talk by internationally renowned conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth, introduced by Melbourne Festival Artistic Director Jonathan Holloway.

Cost: Free

bookings required

19 October 2017, 6:00pm–6:45pm

'Self-made' focus on artist books

Browse the 'Self-made: zines and artist books' exhibition with curator Monica Syrette, followed by a behind-the-scenes viewing of selected artist books.

Cost: Free

Bookings required

19 October 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: Resistance on Country

Hear the story of Maggie and Ernest Mobourne, Indigenous activists remembered for their sustained resistance against the Board for the Protection of Aborigines at Lake Condah.

Cost: Free

bookings required

09 November 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: Picturing Poe’s The Raven

Join us to explore illustrated editions of Edgar Allen Poe’s gothic masterpiece, The Raven.

Cost: Free

bookings required

09 November 2017, 6:00pm–7:30pm

One object, many stories: matchbox labels

Discover the story of these mid-20th-century matchbox labels featuring striking commercial art that intricately depicts the popular culture and fashion of the time.

Cost: Free

bookings required

14 November 2017, 6:30pm–7:30pm

The 2017 Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture: Bruce Pascoe

Join award-winning writer, editor and anthologist Bruce Pascoe, as he delivers the 2017 Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture.

Cost: Free

Bookings required

16 November 2017, 3:00pm–4:00pm

Researching mission songs with Jessie Lloyd

Learn about the day-to-day life of Indigenous communities on missions, settlements and reserves, through the secular songs that were sung after church.

Cost: Free

bookings required

23 November 2017, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome after dark: Whelan was here

Dig into the archives of Melbourne’s most famous demolition company, Whelan the Wrecker.

Cost: Free

bookings required

What's on

Featured events & exhibitions

Looped: artist books in the round

Self-made: zines and artist books

Curator floortalks: 'Self-made'

Search & find

Play Pod party!

Filter events by date

Filter by event type

Filter by cost

All events & exhibitions

Cowen Gallery exhibition

Writing the war: personal stories from WWI

Play Pod

Story Island: an adventure in pictures

The changing face of Victoria

Mirror of the world: books and ideas

'Changing face of Victoria' tour

'Mirror of the world' tour

50 years of La Mama

Looped: artist books in the round

Self-made: zines and artist books

Storytime

Author in-conversation: Robert La Nauze on George Thwaites & sons

Baby bounce

Search & find

Dome after dark: The first royal tour

'Self-made' tour

Ned Kelly tour

Welcome to the Library tour

Strike a pose

Curator floortalks: 'Self-made'

Play Pod party!

Dome to dungeons tour

Dome after dark: A prince & his poodle

Pictures & music: Rhonda Senbergs slide night

Newsworthy

Using eresources from home

Dome after dark: Land ownership and the Kelly Gang

If the city could speak

Australian poetry slam Victorian state final

Tonerpalooza 2

School holiday program: Story Camp

Melbourne Youth Orchestras: Moments of beauty

School holiday activity: Imagined instruments

2017 Inky Awards ceremony

School holiday workshop: Sounds of the Library

Writers on writers launch

Dome after dark: The Reformation will be printed

Joseph Kosuth artist talk

'Self-made' focus on artist books

Dome after dark: Resistance on Country

Dome after dark: Picturing Poe’s The Raven

One object, many stories: matchbox labels

The 2017 Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture: Bruce Pascoe

Researching mission songs with Jessie Lloyd

Dome after dark: Whelan was here