ATHENAEUM THEATRE
184-192 COLLINS STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
Please visit the Heritage Victoria website to find out more about the Heritage Inventory.
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ATHENAEUM THEATRE - History
Heritage Inventory History of Site: Date of first documented occupation, 1840Heritage Inventory Description
ATHENAEUM THEATRE - Heritage Inventory Description
Block 11, Allotment 3, site owned since 1840 by Trustees of the School of Arts.1855 - Mechanics Institute on site. 1877 - Athenaeum & 4 shops to Collins St.1886 - new building constructed1888 - 3 x 3 storey buildings, shops to Collins Street, Athenaeum Hall to rear.
Heritage Inventory Significance: HISTORIC BUILDINGS COUNCIL - STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: MELBOURNE ATHENAEUM WAS CONSTRUCTED ON LAND PURCHASED IN AUGUST 1840. BY DECEMBER 1842 A TWO-STOREY BRICK BUILDING KNOWN AS "THE HALL OF ARTS" WAS NEARING COMPLETION. THE M.C.C. WERE THE FIRST TENANTS OF THE BUILDING USING TWO ROOMS AND THE HALL UNTIL THE TOWN HALL WAS COMPLETED IN 1852. THIS BUILDING'S FACADE WAS REMODELLED IN 1856 AND A NEW LARGE BRICK HALL WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1872 TO THE DESIGN OF ARCHITECT ALFRED SMITH. IN 1873 A DECISION WAS MADE TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING ON THE 7TH JULY 1886 AND THE NEW PREMISES OF THE NOW MELBOURNE ATHENAEUM (FORMERLY MELBOURNE MECHANICS INSTITUTION) WERE OPENED. ARCHITECTS SMITH & JOHNSON. THIS IS THE ELEVATION WHICH FRONTS COLLINS STRET TODAY. DURING THE 20TH CENTURY VARIOUS ALTERATIONS HAVE OCCURRED INCLUDING THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE UPPER HALL INTO AN ART GALLERY (1910), RENOVATION OF THE MAIN LIBRARY (1913), AND RENOVATION OF THE THEATRE TO DESIGNS BY ARCHITECT H.E. WHITE (1924). THE BUILDING IS ESSENTIALLY BRICK WITH A RENDERED FACADE. THE BUILDING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS BEING THE FIRST MELBOURNE MECHANICS INSTITUTE, AN EARLY HOME OF THE MELBOURNE CITY COUNCIL AND A LONG SERVING REMNANT OF MELBOURNE'S CULTURAL HISTORY. THE BUILDING IS PRIMARILY KNOWN FOR ITS COLLINS STREET FACADE WHICH IS OF FINE, IF NOT SENSATIONAL, PIECE OF BOOM STYLE ARCHITECTURE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATING THE ECLECTIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES HWICH WERE APPLIED IN THE LATE 1880S. WHILE IT MAY BE COMPARED TO OTHER BUILDINGS OF THE PERIOD IN ARCHITECTURAL TERMS IT IS NIGH ON IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE ANY REAL COMPARISON ON HISTORICAL TERMS. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATIONS EVER SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT THEREFORE TO TALK OF A LEVEL OF INTACTNESS. HOWEVER, IT REMAINS BASICALLY SOUND STRUCTURALLY AND IS CURRENTLY WELL USED BY THE MELBOURNE ATHENAEUM AND THE MELBOURNE THEATRE CO.
Archeological Potential: Extant bldg Fabric,Potential/Disturbed,Site
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ROSAVILLEVictorian Heritage Register H0408
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TRADES HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0663
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FORMER BAPTIST CHURCH HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0003
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