Melbourne Town Hall—Art and Heritage Collection Store
+ Add to ItineraryDescription
The City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection contains over 13,000 artworks and artefacts. Each of these objects is connected to a time, place, perspective and community and tells a unique story. Occupying a halfway point between the eclecticism common to a private collection and the ambition of a state museum, the collection is big enough to reflect the city and its narratives and small enough to stay connected to the street and its stories.
Join us for a free guided tour through the collection at the historic Melbourne Town hall and discover the hidden cultural treasures that connect us to the narratives that have shaped Melbourne’s evolving identity.
What's On
Visitors will gain insight into the history of Melbourne and have the opportunity to see items they’ve never seen before, including contemporary art, historical artefacts, street art, photography and more.
Tours will be led by specialists who will share stories behind the key artworks and artefacts in the collection store. The tours will touch on: Melbourne city events such as Moomba and the 1956 Olympic Games; city management; Town Hall and ceremonial-related items; city gifts and treasures; books and plans; photography, contemporary artworks, including public art maquettes; and street art and artworks which were commissioned for the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.
Our collection of contemporary artworks also includes work by urban-based First Nations artists. A sustained acquisitions focus on developing this important element of the collection has seen it become the most significant of its kind amongst the capital city collections.Â
Images: (1-5) City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection store. All photos: Tobias Titz
Important Details
Tour/event summary information
Saturday 26 July + Sunday 27 July
Tours running every 20 minutes from 10am. Last tour departs at 3.30pm
Running for 60 minutes in groups of 12
Bookings
No bookings required. Tour group capacity is limited and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Meeting Point
Meet at Melbourne Town Hall, Administration Building. Enter via Swanston Street entrance, next door to Melbourne Visitor Hub.
Upon arrival guests must check in via security, bags must be cloaked and photo identification is required to obtain entry to the building. Prams and bags are not permitted on tours. Prams can be left in the security storage area and bags can be kept in the lockers at visitors' own risk.
Photography for non-commercial purposes is permitted.
Accessibility
Partially wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Elevator access, Step-free access
Melbourne Town Hall is a heritage building and access is limited in some areas. There is a lift to the Collection Store on level 4 but some of the doorways may not be wide enough for some wheelchairs. Six of the rooms included in the tour have doorways that are 88cm or wider, two are 83cm and one is 78cm. Please email: citycollection@melbourne.gov.vic.au to discuss further.
