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  • A small tour group looking up from the ground floor of the La Trobe Reading Room.
  • A small tour group seated while listening to a woman pointing at paintings on a gallery wall.
  • A person smiling while looking at paper library cards in a row of cataloguing shelves.
  • A small tour group looking at the Ned Kelly armour in a glass case.
Until 17 Aug

State Library Victoria Unlocked

  • Walking tour
  • History

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

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 catacombs hidden beneath the library floors, discover the treasure trove of original card catalogues, and uncover one of Melbourne’s most infamous relationships between Library founder Redmond Barry and the bushranger Ned Kelly.

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

Hours

Date Times
Sat 5 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 6 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 7 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 8 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 9 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 10 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 11 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 12 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 13 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 14 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 15 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 16 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 17 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 18 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 19 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 20 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 21 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 22 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 23 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 24 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 25 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 26 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 27 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 28 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 29 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 30 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 31 Jul
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 1 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 2 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 3 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 4 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 5 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 6 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 7 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 8 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 9 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 10 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Mon 11 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Tue 12 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Wed 13 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Thu 14 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Fri 15 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sat 16 Aug
  • 9.15am - 10.15am 9:15am - 10:15am
Sun 17 Aug
  • 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
Facebook page for State Library Victoria Unlocked Instagram page for State Library Victoria Unlocked

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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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