State Library Victoria

Australia's oldest public library, founded in 1856. The octagonal La Trobe Reading Room, with its radiating desks beneath the dome, is Melbourne's most photogenic interior, and entry is free.

State Library Victoria stands on Swanston Street. It opened in 1856 as Australia's oldest public library and is one of the most visited libraries in the world, with a collection of more than 5 million items. A AU$88 million renovation was completed in 2019.

The highlight is the La Trobe Reading Room, an octagonal reading room completed in 1913. Its 34.75-metre reinforced concrete dome was the largest of its kind in the world when it was built. Looking down from the ring gallery on the sixth floor at the oak desks radiating outward, each with a green reading lamp, is an essential photo. The Dome Gallery covers the history of Victoria and includes the homemade iron armour of bushranger Ned Kelly, one of Australia's most famous historical artefacts. On the ground floor, the Ian Potter Queen's Hall is a lavish 19th-century hall, while the Redmond Barry Reading Room and the Newspaper Room are where local students come to study.

Admission and Wi-Fi are free, and free guided tours run daily at about 11:00 and 14:00. On the lawn out front, locals eat lunch, soak up the sun and play street chess. Nearby are Melbourne Central shopping centre, which incorporates the chimney of the 1890 bullet factory, and the Emporium.

Opening hours are daily 10:00–18:00, with late opening until 21:00 on Thursdays. It closes on some public holidays. Getting there: the free tram zone covers the area, so take a tram to the Swanston Street Melbourne Central stop, or a train to Melbourne Central station.

Tips: keep quiet in the reading room and don't use flash photography. Large bags must be left at the cloakroom. The chess lawn is occasionally closed on rainy days.

State Library Victoria

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Places to eat nearby