Melbourne was first settled in 1835, a young city with a rapidly growing population of newly arrived citizens. Clearly the city wanted a lot, and soon: a cultural identity that would compare favourably to European cities, a vigorous economy based on wool and gold exports, and technological innovations. The first telegraph line in Australia started in Melbourne in 1853 and the first Australian train service started in Melbourne in 1853!
![]()
statue honouring Sir Redmond Barry,
still in front of the State Library today Australians were well used to participating in International Exhibitions. The colonies had sent displays to overseas exhibitions from the very first World Fair ever, Crystal Palace London in 1851. At the 1862 International Exhibition in London, Victoria and each of the other states mounted their own, individual displays.
![]()
in the collection of the State Library of Victoria
![]()
![]()
![]()
The National Gallery of Victoria came into official existence by act of Parliament in 1870. The Trustees' Report published in the same year gave the results of a huge of the collections in the Library, Museums and National Gallery. Comparative tables indicated the types of libraries, the size of their collections and the method of financial support in Victoria, Europe and America. For a young institution, the Library had made great progress in acquisitions and visitor numbers. For a very young city, Melbourne was on its way as a cultural capital of worldwide significance.
Two more exhibitions were held at the Public Library site in Melbourne. The Victorian Exhibition of 1872 was “confined to Victorian products intended to be shown at the International Exhibition held in London in 1873”. Victoria’s Inter-colonial Exhibition of 1875 was a preliminary to the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876. The exhibition buildings remained in use as part of the library and art gallery complex till 1908, having been there for 40 years!
In 1909, the State Library trustees appointed JW and DA Swanson to build a new reading room within a budget of 70,000 pounds. The old spaces were demolished to allow construction of the domed reading room. Designed to seat 320 readers and house 32,000 books on the shelves around its walls, the domed, spacious and airy reading room was officially opened by the Governor-General Lord Denman in Nov 1913.
**
Within 20 years of settlement, Judge Sir Redmond Barry had a grand vision for the creation of an Antipodean treasure house of learning i.e the State Library of Victoria. Cornish architect Joseph Reed won a competition for this public library which was to be built in stages. The first stage was ready for use in 1856; the loveliest part, the Queen's Reading Room, was opened in 1859 and became the Library's main reading room for decades.
Nicholas Chevalier, The Public Library
1860, watercolour,in the collection of the State Library of Victoria
Sir Redmond Barry wanted for Victorians what every cultivated Briton had back in the UK: “It is difficult for such of us as have emigrated from Europe, to conceive the disadvantages under which the rising generation will labour in respect to the familiarity with objects worthy of admiration in architecture, painting and other branches of art”. These words were published in the newspaper of note back then, The Argus 9/11/1861.
Since Australia was a loyal British colony, it was to be expected that Barry would base his original ideas for the Victorian Library and Museum on the British Museum in London. In particular Barry wanted practical books, not exotic, rare or priceless books that would appeal to only five scholars in the entire universe. And by the 1860s he wanted to model Melbourne’s library on the South Kensington Museum's programme of education through loan and travelling shows. The library was free, secular and democratic, accessible for the education of every citizen.
The 1860s were years of continual expansion by the Library's Trustees. The National Gallery of Victoria Art School, associated with the gallery, was founded at the same time (in 1867). International exhibitions gave the Australian colonies a great opportunity to develop an international profile, long before becoming a federated nation. The very first purpose-built Exhibition Building in Melbourne was erected for the Inter-Colonial Exhibition of 1866–7 at the back of the Public Library, where the domed reading room was later built. It occupied much of the whole block, with the annexe extending back to Russell St. Addressing the assembled construction workers, Sir Redmond Barry compared the building with the great cathedrals of Europe. (This may have been exaggerated).
Since Australia was a loyal British colony, it was to be expected that Barry would base his original ideas for the Victorian Library and Museum on the British Museum in London. In particular Barry wanted practical books, not exotic, rare or priceless books that would appeal to only five scholars in the entire universe. And by the 1860s he wanted to model Melbourne’s library on the South Kensington Museum's programme of education through loan and travelling shows. The library was free, secular and democratic, accessible for the education of every citizen.
The 1860s were years of continual expansion by the Library's Trustees. The National Gallery of Victoria Art School, associated with the gallery, was founded at the same time (in 1867). International exhibitions gave the Australian colonies a great opportunity to develop an international profile, long before becoming a federated nation. The very first purpose-built Exhibition Building in Melbourne was erected for the Inter-Colonial Exhibition of 1866–7 at the back of the Public Library, where the domed reading room was later built. It occupied much of the whole block, with the annexe extending back to Russell St. Addressing the assembled construction workers, Sir Redmond Barry compared the building with the great cathedrals of Europe. (This may have been exaggerated).
Queen's Reading Room, opened 1859 and demolished in 1909
La Trobe Reading Room, opened, 1913
The official Inter-Colonial Exhibition record of 1867 contained a long essay, giving a walking guide to all parts of the buildings and describing the major exhibits. The Great Hall included displays from all Australian colonies and surrounding nation states. The material accompaniments of civilisation dominated this show, the emphasis being on mineral and agricultural products, rather than the fine arts. This 1867 exhibition in Melbourne had been such a great stimulus that the Industrial and Technological Museum opened in 1870; it shared a site in the Great Hall with the Public Library on Swanston St.
The Inter-Colonial Exhibition of 1866-67
held in the State Library of Victoria.
The National Gallery of Victoria came into official existence by act of Parliament in 1870. The Trustees' Report published in the same year gave the results of a huge of the collections in the Library, Museums and National Gallery. Comparative tables indicated the types of libraries, the size of their collections and the method of financial support in Victoria, Europe and America. For a young institution, the Library had made great progress in acquisitions and visitor numbers. For a very young city, Melbourne was on its way as a cultural capital of worldwide significance.
Two more exhibitions were held at the Public Library site in Melbourne. The Victorian Exhibition of 1872 was “confined to Victorian products intended to be shown at the International Exhibition held in London in 1873”. Victoria’s Inter-colonial Exhibition of 1875 was a preliminary to the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876. The exhibition buildings remained in use as part of the library and art gallery complex till 1908, having been there for 40 years!
In 1909, the State Library trustees appointed JW and DA Swanson to build a new reading room within a budget of 70,000 pounds. The old spaces were demolished to allow construction of the domed reading room. Designed to seat 320 readers and house 32,000 books on the shelves around its walls, the domed, spacious and airy reading room was officially opened by the Governor-General Lord Denman in Nov 1913.
**
The exhibition called Free, Secular and Democratic: Building the Public Library 1853-1913 will be going until Feb 2014, at the State Library. The exhibition called Mirror of the World: Books and Ideas is on permanent display at the State Library. Regarding Sir Redmond Barry, read the Resident Judge of Port Phillip blog.