State Library Victoria reveals permanent exhibition to the public

The State Library Victoria’s permanent exhibition, ‘The changing face of Victoria’ opens tomorrow allowing Victorians to discover - for the first time - more than 150 collection items.

Housed in a new-look gallery space, the 15th iteration of the exhibition invites visitors to explore the state’s history of activism and invention through four everyday themes: water, camping, coffee and work.

From the waterways that play an integral role in the culture of Indigenous communities to the rise of Melbourne’s coffee culture; from the ways in which camping connects us to the land to the invention of the eight-hour work day, each theme tells different, yet interconnecting stories about what makes Victoria the place it is today.

Exhibition Curator, Linda Short said the re-imagined exhibition introduces design elements that prompt visitors to ask questions about Victoria’s changing identity and notes “this exhibition isn’t just about showcasing our history and artefacts; on the contrary, it’s about considering the present and looking ahead – encouraging visitors to think about what’s next, and how our past informs our future.

“We want to inspire visitors to learn more about the stories featured, while also considering their own story and the role they play in shaping what happens next.

Exhibition themes:

• The water quad explores the role of water in our lives, from the human need for drinking water to the broader impact of droughts and floods. Highlights include a wooden water purifier barrel from the 1800s and a photographic series showing the ingenuity of Victorian citizens during the millennium drought.

• The camping quad considers the ways in which camping connects us to the land, whether for survival, adventure or as an act of resistance. Highlights include photographs of the urban protest movement Camp Sovereignty and a newly commissioned artwork challenging disposable camping culture at festivals.

• The coffee quad examines the influence of coffee on local innovation and culture, from the palatial coffee palaces that flourished in Melbourne in the 1880s to the evolution of the KeepCup, which sparked a global reuse movement. Highlights include one of the first commercial espresso machines to be imported into Australia and coffee labels charting the Melbourne coffee scene from the past to today.

• The work quad celebrates the local 19th century pioneers who set an international precedent for workers’ rights and the movements continuing the fight today. Highlights include the ‘Anarchy’ flag flown by pioneering unionist ‘Chummy’ Fleming’ and handmade protest badges raising topical issues.

Established in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library, State Library Victoria is Australia’s oldest public library and one of the first free libraries in the world. As the custodian of Victoria’s history, each year the library adds more than 70,000 heritage items to its rich collection of articles, artworks, manuscripts, books, journals, artefacts and much more.

The changing face of Victoria is free and open to the public during the Library’s opening hours, 10am–6pm. No bookings required.

In a Library-first, visitors can take a virtual tour of 'The changing face of Victoria' here.

Image above: Clockwise from top left: Rick Amor, Australian Council of Trade Unions poster, c.1985; home espresso machine, c.1958, collection of Sylvester Longo; water cask, 1803; rope knot; original 4oz KeepCup; Maurice Dunlevy, Stay alive: a handbook on survival, 1981; badges from the Riley and Ephemera Collection; protest sign, 2019; W.E. Murphy, History of the eight hours' movement, 1896