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    State Library of Victoria (Central Melbourne)



    State Library of Victoria (Central Melbourne)

    There are lots of things to do. Here are ten things you can do with the family.

    • Get your family along to a free one-hour Library Heritage Tour! Run from Monday to Friday at 2pm. Bookings required for groups only.
    • See the armour of one of Australia's most infamous outlaws. You can see Ned Kelly's armour, his rifle and even one of his boots in The changing face of Victoria exhibition in our Dome Gallery.
    • Find and photocopy the front page of the newspaper published on the day you were born, in the Newspaper Reading Room!
    • Spin the latest grooves in our Arts Reading Room. Listen to the latest CDs and DVDs in our sound-proofed booths!
    • Drop by Experimedia to use the latest free AFL X-Box computer games and other exciting PC and X-Box games. Read ebooks with your kids!
    • Scroll through microfiche and find out more about your family tree in our Genealogy Centre.
    • Take a look at the paintings and portrait sculptures of famous and infamous Victorians in the Cowen Gallery exhibition.
    • Fight it out in a battle of wills in a game of chess! The Chess room is located on the mezzanine level above the Arts Reading Room.
    • Spend half an hour surfing the internet for free in the Information Centre.
    • Read books on any subject from aircrafts to zebras in the Library!

    What's On

    Opening Hours:


    Opening Hours for Library

    Cost:


    Free

    Review:


    You don't need to be a book worm to enjoy the State Library of Victoria with activities ranging from computer games, chess, listening to music, tracing your family history in the Genealogy Centre or finding Ned Kelly's armour. There is also a range of interesting outdoor art and statues at the front of the library.

    On the ground floor there is the Cowen Gallery which is a large room with a permanent collection of oil paintings. This joins to the south Rotunda which has temporary exhibits. There is also artwork on floors 4 and 5. There is also a north Rotunda which provides access to the Victoria Gallery. There are great views of the dome and reading room below plus the Shakespeare Window on level 5. To get to level 5, take the lift next to the Redmond Barry Reading Room (West) up to level 4 and then take a further lift or stairs to level 5. Level 6 has a Dome Viewing Balcony.

    Photos:




    Sculptures and Monuments:


    Architectural Fragment
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    A bluestone sculpture by Petrus Spronk (1992)
    The pyramid shaped sculpture represents a fragment of the library emerging from the pavement as an archaeological artefact might. Spronk's inspiration was Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias', which speaks of the fragile and transient nature of all that is human. Quoting from the poem, the pedestal reads: 'My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my work you Mighty, and despair.'

    Architectural Fragment is a Pythagorean triangle, which expresses a strong association with the geometry of ancient Greece. Like a fallen classical monument, it reflects the past and alludes to the transience of the present.

    Mr Lizard and Gumnut Baby
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    Bronze sculpture by Smiley Williams
    The sculpture is based on the book "Snugglepot and Cuddlepie" by Mary Gibbs.

    The Bunyip
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    Bronze sculpture by Ron Brooks
    The sculpture is based on the book "The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek" by Jenny Wagner.

    St George and The Dragon
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    Bronze sculpture by J.E. Boehm

    Jeanne D'Arc
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    Bronze sculpture by E. Fremiet

    Latrobe Statue
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art

    Sir Redmond Barry Statue
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    The statue was erected by a grateful public to perpetuate the memory of invaluable services rendered to Victoria by Sir Redmond Barry.

    Painted Poles (State Library Of Victoria)
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    Metal poles by Jennifer McCarthy (1992)

    Jennifer McCarthy's sculpture comprises three poles painted in a colourful, highly decorative style.

    James Joyce Seat of Learning
    Melbourne CBD Public and Street Art
    The Brendan Kilty SC James Joyce Seat of Learning was installed August 26th 2004 in the Forecourt of the State Library of Victoria. It incorporates a brick from James Joyce home in Drumcondra, Ireland.

    The seat was inspired and approved by Mr. Brendan Billy SC, Dublin, Ireland and the seat was designed by Mary Dalmau of Dalmau Designs. This seat is one of 63 seats being placed in cities around the world.


    Location


    328 Swanston Street,  Melbourne 3000 Map

    ✆ (03) 8664 7000


    Web Links


    → www.slv.vic.gov.au

    → State Library of Victoria on Facebook

    → Printable Library Map (PDF)


    State Library of Victoria (Central Melbourne)328 Swanston Street,, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000