NATIONAL MUSEUM
285-321 RUSSELL STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
This place is included on the Victorian Heritage Inventory, for its potential to contain historical archaeological remains associated with the settlement and growth of early Melbourne. Under the terms of the Heritage Act 2017 there is protection for all historical archaeology sites and objects in the state.
Please visit the Heritage Victoria website to find out more about the Heritage Inventory.
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NATIONAL MUSEUM - History
Heritage Inventory History of Site: Date of first documented occupation, 1850Heritage Inventory Description
NATIONAL MUSEUM - Heritage Inventory Description
1850 & 1855 Maps - Police Barracks compound on site.1866 Map - half site is vacant ground, cluster of small buildings towards Little Lonsdale and Russell Sts.
Heritage Inventory Significance: REDMOND BARRY AND C. J LATROBE WERE PROMINENT AMONGST THOSE WHO HELPED ESTABLISH A STATE LIBRARY. JOSEPH REED WON THE COMPETITION AND PRIZE OF 150 POUNDS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE ORIGINAL SECTION. THE FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID ON JULY 3RD, 1854 BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR. CHARLES HOTHAM. THE BUILDING WAS |OPENED BY MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD MACARTHUR, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, ON FEBRUARY 11TH 1856. THE LIBRARY WAS EXTENDED IN STAGES, CULMINATING IN THE DOMED READING ROOM, ORIGINALLY SUGGESTED BY THE PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN, E.L. ARMSTRONG,IN 1905 AND OPENED BY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL, LORD DENMAN, ON NOVEMBER 14TH 1913.ARCHITECTURAL JOSEPH REED'S ORIGINAL COMPETITION WINNING DESIGN WAS BUILT IN SEVERAL STAGES. THE FIRST STAGE WAS THE CENTRAL SECTION OF THE SWANSTON STREET FRONTAGE. A TENDER FOR THE WORK WAS ACCEPTED FROM JAMES METCALFE IN JULY 1854 FOR THE AMOUNT OF 9650 POUNDS. THE BUILDING MEASURED ONLY 50' X 50' X 32' HIGH. THE COST FOR THIS STAGE EVENTUALLY ROSE TO 16,000 POUNDS. WORK ON THE REMAINING STAGES OF REED'S DESIGN (WINGS TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE ORIGINAL SECTION) CONTINUED AS MONEY WAS MADE AVAILABLE. THE ROTUNDA WAS BUILT BEHIND THE ORIGINAL SECTION IN 1867. THE ROTUNDA AND SEVERAL SMALLER BUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE READING ROOM. IT WAS DESIGNED BY BATES PEEBLES AND SMART AND BUILT BY SWANSON BROS., WHOSE TENDER FOR THE WORK WAS 66,914 POUNDS. IN 1911 'BUILDING' ENTHUSED THAT " AUSTRALIA IS JUST ENTERING THE LIMELIGHT OF NATIONS AS 'THE LAND OF BIG THINGS...' THE MOST STRIKING INSTANCE OF OUR ENDEAVOURS IS THE GREAT DOME OVER THE MELBOURNE LIBRARY..." "THERE ARE, HOWEVER, OTHER LARGER DOMES THAN THE MELBOURNE LIBRARY, ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE THE GREATEST REINFORCED CONCRETE DOME IN THE WORLD..." " THE CEILING OF THE DOME IS TO BE DIVIDED INTO COMPARTMENTS BY SIXTEEN MAIN RIBS AND THREE SUBSIDIARY RIBS, ALL HAVING PANELLED SOFFITS...HALF OF THESE COMPARTMENTS WILL BE OCCUPIED BY...SKYLIGHTS...' "THE READING ROOM IS TREATED WITH AN OPEN ARCADE EFFECT ON FOUR SIDES, HIGHLY ENRICHED IN FIBROUS PLASTER..." "THE VENTILATION OF THE CHAMBER IS PROVIDED FOR BY ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FANS." "THE HEATING IS TO BE PROVIDED FOR BY A SYSTEM OF HOT WATER INSTALLATIONS AND THE USE OF RADIATORS..." "THE PRESENT VESTIBULE WILL, HOWEVER, BE ENTIRELY REMODELLED AND ARTISTICALLY TREATED WITH AUSTRALIAN MARBLE-CASED COLUMNS AND AN ORNATE FIBROUS PLASTER CEILING..." "THE ARCHITECTS, MESSRS. BATES, PEBBLE AND SMART WILL HOLD THE ATTENTION OF THEIR ARCHITECTURAL BRETHREN THE WORLD OVER IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS COLOSSAL EDIFICE, AND IT IS QUITE SAFE TO SAY THAT THE BUILDERS WHO ARE CARRYING OUT THE WORK, MESSRS. SWANSON BROTHERS, WILL WORTHILY UPHOLD THE REPUTATION THAT AUSTRALIAN MASTER BUILDERS HAVE AS BEING AMONGST THE FOREMOST CONSTRUCTORS ON EARTH." THE STATE LIBRARY HAS BEEN AN ESSENTIAL PART OF MELBOURNE'S CULTURAL LIFE SINCE ITS EARLIEST YEARS AND REFLECTS THE PRIDE AND OPTIMISM OF THE INFANT COLONY. REED'S ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS OBVIOUSLY WELL REGARDED AT THE TIME (HAVING WON THE COMPETITION) AND REMAINS AS ONE OF MELBOURNE'S FINEST PUBLIC BUILDINGS. THE READING ROOM WAS THE SUBJECT OF GREAT INTEREST, BOTH HERE AND OVERSEAS BOTH BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION AND REMAINS A SPECTACULAR SPACE. BOTH BUILDINGS ARE ESSENTIALLY INTACT, APART FROM ALTERATIONS TO THE SOUTH WING OF REED'S BUILDING AND THE CLOSING IN OF THE SKYLIGHTS AND MINOR ALTERATIONS TO THE READING ROOM.
Archeological Potential: Extant bldg Fabric,Site
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FORMER CARLTON AND UNITED BREWERYVictorian Heritage Register H0024
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ROSAVILLEVictorian Heritage Register H0408
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MEDLEY HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0409
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