Culture Victoria
Melbourne Athenaeum Archives


The Archives manages records of The Melbourne Athenaeum which was founded in 1839 as the Melbourne Mechanic's Institution. Its purpose, "the diffusion of literary, scientific and other useful knowledge to members and the general public, was achieved by maintaining a Library, Museum and Reading Room, and offering classes and lectures. Land was purchased in 1840 in Collins Street and the original building, a two-storey, rendered-brick structure, was completed in 1842. The name was changed to the Melbourne Athenaeum in 1872 reflecting the cultural changes in the society it represented. The Library continues to operate.
Organisation Location
There are 62 Organisations nearby
View All Nearby Organisations- Anglican Diocese of Melbourne Archives
- ANZ Banking Museum & ANZ Group Archive
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
- Australian Conservation Foundation Archives
- Australian Film Institute Research Collection
- Australian Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
- Bay Steamers Maritime Museum
- Blessed Sacrament Congregation & St Francis Church Heritage Centre
- Champions Australian Racing Museum & Hall of Fame (Racing Museum)
- Chinese Museum
- City of Melbourne
- City of Yarra
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists / Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Museum
- Cooks' Cottage
- Corps of Commissionaires Military History Society Museum
- Craft
- Department of Transport Library
- East Melbourne Historical Society
- Enterprize Ship
- Federation Square
- Fire Services Museum of Victoria
- Fox Classic Car Collection
- Goold Catholic Museum
- Heritage Council of Victoria
- Heritage Victoria
- Immigration Museum
- Koorie Heritage Trust
- Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre
- Melbourne Cricket Club
- Melbourne Cricket Club Museum
- National Sports Museum
- National Trust of Australia (Vic)
- NGV Australia
- NGV International
- NGV National Gallery of Victoria
- Office of Women's Policy
- Old Melbourne Gaol
- Old Treasury Building
- Parliament of Victoria
- Presbyterian Church of Victoria Archives and Church Records
- Public Galleries Association of Victoria
- RMIT Design Archives
- RMIT University Art Collection
- RMIT University School of Art
- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
- Royal Historical Society of Victoria
- Fair Work Commission- Sir Richard Kirby Archives
- St Michael's Uniting Church
- St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Archives and Heritage Centre
- State Library of Victoria
- The Australian Ballet School Archives
- The Johnston Collection
- The Royal Society of Victoria (Inc)
- The Salvation Army - Australia Southern Territory Archives and Museum
- The Victorian Women's Trust
- University of Melbourne - Louise Hanson-Dyer Music Library Rare Collections
- Victoria Police Museum
- Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages
- Victorian College of the Arts Gallery
- Wesley Mission Melbourne Archives