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  • Participants on the State Library Victoria Unlocked guided morning tour inside the iconic dome at State Library Victoria in Melbourne.
  • A person posing in the large wooden chair near the wooden partitions and green-shaded lamps inside the historic Domed reading room in State Library Victoria.
  • A visitor exploring the historic, behind-the-scenes card catalogue collection during a guided tour at the State Library Victoria in Melbourne.
  • An overhead, high-angle shot looking down a multi-story, square-shaped historic stairwell with ornate iron railings and mosaic ground floor. Ten people are distributed across different landings and steps, looking up toward the camera.
Until 31 Dec

State Library Victoria Unlocked

  • Talk
  • Tour

Join an exclusive 9.15am guided tour and experience State Library Victoria’s grand Dome and hidden spaces before the doors open to the public.

Ever heard of the ‘Chief Shusher’? Wonder what’s buried beneath the Library’s floors? Or gazed up at the library Dome before the crowds?

On this early access tour, you’ll explore the Library’s magnificent heritage spaces and discover the treasure trove of original card catalogues hidden within the catacombs beneath the Library floors, and uncover one of Melbourne’s most infamous relationships between Library founder Sir Redmond Barry and bushranger Ned Kelly.

Find a rare moment of quiet in the iconic Dome, soak in the architecture, and even stand where the ‘Shusher’ once reigned.

Advance bookings essential.

Hours

Date Times
Sun 13 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 14 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 15 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 16 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 17 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 18 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 19 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 20 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 21 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 22 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 23 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 24 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 25 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 26 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 27 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 28 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 29 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 30 Sep
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 1 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 2 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 3 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 4 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 5 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 6 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 7 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 8 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 9 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 10 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 11 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 12 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 13 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 14 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 15 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 16 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 17 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 18 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 19 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 20 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 21 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 22 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 23 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 24 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 25 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 26 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 27 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 28 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 29 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 30 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 31 Oct
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 1 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 2 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 3 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 4 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 5 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 6 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 7 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 8 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 9 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 10 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 11 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 12 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 13 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 14 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 15 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 16 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 17 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 18 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 19 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 20 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 21 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 22 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 23 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 24 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 25 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 26 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 27 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 28 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 29 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 30 Nov
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 1 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 2 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 3 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 4 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 5 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 6 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 7 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 8 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 9 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 10 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 11 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 12 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 13 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 14 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 15 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 16 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 17 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 18 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 19 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 20 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 21 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 22 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 23 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 24 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 25 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 26 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 27 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 28 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 29 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 30 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 31 Dec
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am

Location

State Library Victoria
328 Swanston St
Melbourne 3000

Open in maps location for State Library Victoria

Price and bookings

Adult / general $39
Book online for State Library Victoria Unlocked

Contact details

  • telephone number: 03 8664 7000
  • email address: slvtickets@slv.vic.gov.au
  • Visit website for State Library Victoria Unlocked

Accessibility

  • Accessible toilets
  • Mobility access

All accessibility information is self-reported by the listing owner. It has not been verified by the City of Melbourne.

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The City of Melbourne respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land we govern, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong / Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge and honour the unbroken spiritual, cultural and political connection they have maintained to this unique place for more than 2000 generations.

We accept the invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and are committed to walking together to build a better future. For more information, visit Aboriginal Melbourne.

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