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Royal Exhibition Building Open Day: Saturday 9 to Sunday 10 May 2026

Saturday, 9th May 2026, marks 125 years since the opening of Australia’s Federal Parliament at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building.
Museums Victoria is responsible for the care and conservation of both the building and its collection, which comprises over 5000 items documenting the site’s significant history. A curated selection of these items will be on display this weekend. Find out more here.

Our Federation Journey - A Nation's Portrait: Charles Nuttall & the Opening of Federal Parliament

Our Federation Journey - A Nation's Portrait: Charles Nuttall & the Opening of Federal Parliament 'The atmosphere was radiant and illuminated the vast spaces of the building and the great sea of faces with a bright Australian glow. A sight never to be forgotten was the assemblage which, in perfect order but with exalted ...

Royal Exhibition Building Collection

Royal Exhibition Building Collection The Royal Exhibition Building is a product of the optimism, enthusiasm and energy of the people of Melbourne in the late 19th century. In 1879, when the foundation stone was laid, Melbourne was an extremely prosperous city, ...

Invitation - To Mr. William A. Brahe & Mrs. Peipers, Opening of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Exhibition Building, Melbourne, 9 May 1901

HT 48744 Invitation - To Mr. William A. Brahe & Mrs. Peipers, Opening of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Exhibition Building, Melbourne, 9 May 1901

Politics & Society

Invitation addressed to the Consul for the German Empire, Mr William. A. Brahe and Mrs Peipers from His Majesty's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth of Australia. The invitation invites the pair to the ...

Medal - Commonwealth Press Pass, Victoria, Australia, 1901

NU 20901 Medal - Commonwealth Press Pass, Victoria, Australia, 1901

Public Life & Institutions, Royal Exhibition Building

Medal for Commonwealth Press issued as a pass in Melbourne in 1901, for journalists covering the events surrounding the opening of the first Commonwealth Parliament on 9 May ...

ROME: Empire, Power, People

An exhibition designed in collaboration with Contemporanea Progetti, showcasing 180 objects from the collections of Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archaeologico Nazionale di Firenze, it also includes ancient Roman treasures from the collections of Museums Victoria. On display at Melbourne Museum until 25 October 2026.

Ancient Roman Coins in the Numismatics Collection

Ancient Roman Coins in the Numismatics Collection Museums Victoria's numismatics collection contains an extensive number of ancient coins spanning the empires of Rome, Greece, Egypt, and the ancient Near East. There are approximately 1850 ancient Roman coins, as well as over 1400 ...

Coin - Denarius, Emperor Caracalla, Ancient Roman Empire, 210-213 AD

NU 2832 Coin - Denarius, Emperor Caracalla, Ancient Roman Empire, 210-213 AD

Numismatics & Philately

Ancient Roman Empire Silver Denarius issued by Emperor Caracalla between 210 and 213 AD Mint: Rome.

Coin - Sestertius, Emperor Gaius for Agrippina, Ancient Roman Empire, 37-41 AD

NU 22553 Coin - Sestertius, Emperor Gaius for Agrippina, Ancient Roman Empire, 37-41 AD

Numismatics & Philately

Orichalcum Sestertius struck during the reign of the Emperor Gaius (Caligula) in the name of his mother Agrippina between 37 and 41 AD, Ancient Roman Empire. Minted by Rome. Agrippina, the Emperor's mother, ...

Pottery. Campania, Italy. c. 330-320 BCE

X 88724 Pottery. Campania, Italy. c. 330-320 BCE This red-figured hydria is thought to have been made in Cumae, Italy, between around 330 BCE and 320 BCE based on its style. This was a time when the rising Roman Republic flexed its might against neighbours such as the Samnites ...

Explore our collection

Explore a wealth of collections and research about natural sciences, history, technology and First Peoples from Museums Victoria in Australia.

Closeup of old typewritter keys

Articles 2,403 Read about people, places, events, and our collections

Brass pocket compass sundial

Items 114,954 Things made and used by people

Closeup shot of a butterfly

Specimens 1,317,737 Animals, fossils, and rocks in our collections

Closeup of blue coloured bird

Species 1,542 Read about some animals you might see in the wild

Explore the collection on display

Closeup of a taxidermied owl

Melbourne Museum

Closeup of a robot

Illustrated impression of a ship on water

Immigration Museum

Moving sculpture lit up by stage lights

Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Recently modified

Steam Ploughing Engine - J. Fowler & Co Ltd, Z7 Class, Compound, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, 1919

HT 2300 Steam Ploughing Engine - J. Fowler & Co Ltd, Z7 Class, Compound, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, 1919

Sustainable Futures, Engineering

Class Z7 25 nominal horsepower (225 indicated horsepower) 8-inch (203.2 mm) & 14-inch (355.6 mm) bore x 14-inch (355.6 mm) stroke double-crank-compound cable ploughing engine, serial no.15505, built ...

Dress - Prue Acton, Mini, Black Wool Crepe, 1967

SH 942000 Dress - Prue Acton, Mini, Black Wool Crepe, 1967

Clothing & Textiles, Home & Community

Mini dress designed and manufactured in Melbourne by Prue Acton P/L in 1967. It features a high waist, Peter Pan lace collar and cuffs, silver decorative buttons and a short hemline, in a ...

Dress - Prue Acton, Mini, Yellow & Navy, 1968

SH 942396 Dress - Prue Acton, Mini, Yellow & Navy, 1968

Clothing & Textiles, Home & Community

Dress designed and manufactured in Melbourne by Prue Acton P/L in 1968. It was designed by Betty Greenhatch, a member of Prue Acton's design team. Originally worn by the donor. Also worn by a ...

Dress - Prue Acton, Lime Linen & Cream Knit, 1969

SH 942015 Dress - Prue Acton, Lime Linen & Cream Knit, 1969

Clothing & Textiles, Home & Community

This dress was designed and manufactured in Melbourne by Prue Acton P/L in 1969. In 2005, it was loaned to a fashion parade at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre to lauch the Australia Post ...

Negative - Winner, 'Repco Olympic Tour' Cycling Race, Olympic Games, 1956

MM 125960 Negative - Winner, 'Repco Olympic Tour' Cycling Race, Olympic Games, 1956

Leisure, Public Life & Institutions, Transport

A male cyclist wearing a floral wreath around his next at the finish line of the Repco Olympic 7-Day Tour, one of the events organised to commemorate the Olympic Games held in ...

Badge - 'I Survived the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020', Button Brat, Ballarat, 2020

HT 56564 Badge - 'I Survived the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020', Button Brat, Ballarat, 2020

Politics & Society

This decorative button or badge was collected during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Melbourne in 2020. It references the toilet paper panic buying that was happening around the world. From Australia to ...

Negative - Chesebrough Manufacturing Company, Group Portrait at Cocktail Party, Clayton, Victoria, Oct 1953

MM 125520 Negative - Chesebrough Manufacturing Company, Group Portrait at Cocktail Party, Clayton, Victoria, Oct 1953

Images & Image Making

One of approximately 85,000 negatives from the Laurie Richards Collection taken by the Melbourne based Laurie Richards Studio between the 1950s -1970s. The Laurie Richards logbook that details this ...

Negative - Dog Eating From Rubbish Bin, Melbourne, Victoria, Jul 1958

MM 126578 Negative - Dog Eating From Rubbish Bin, Melbourne, Victoria, Jul 1958

Images & Image Making

One of approximately 85,000 negatives from the Laurie Richards Collection taken by the Melbourne based Laurie Richards Studio between the 1950s -1970s. Laurie Richards was a professional photographer who ...

Negative - Two Men on Bicycles, Melbourne, Victoria, 1953

MM 125262 Negative - Two Men on Bicycles, Melbourne, Victoria, 1953

Images & Image Making

One of approximately 85,000 negatives from the Laurie Richards Collection taken by the Melbourne based Laurie Richards Studio between the 1950s -1970s. Laurie Richards was a professional photographer who ...

Badge - Anzac Remembrance Day, 17 Dec 1915

HT 24198 Badge - Anzac Remembrance Day, 17 Dec 1915

Public Life & Institutions

Alternative Name(s): Pin, Button Anzac Remembrance Day badge dating from World War I. 'ANZAC' refers to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It became the proper noun 'Anzac' under Federal ...

Badge - 'Hospital Day', World War I, 1914-1919

HT 24212 Badge - 'Hospital Day', World War I, 1914-1919

Public Life & Institutions

Alternative Name(s): Pin, Button Fundraising badge, possibly dating to World War I. The concept of 'Hospital Day' possibly arises from the tradition of 'Hospital Saturday/Sunday' which originated in ...

Negative - State Electricity Commission, Newport, Victoria, Aug 1950

MM 11226 Negative - State Electricity Commission, Newport, Victoria, Aug 1950

Engineering, Transport

Part of a large photographic collection of glass plate and film negatives, photographic prints and photo albums, relating to the development of the electric power supply industry in Victoria, operated by the ...