A SHORT HISTORY

The Melbourne Athenaeum started as Melbourne’s first Mechanics Institute on 12 November 1839 - just four years after Melbourne was itself founded. Its original mission was defined as "the diffusion of literary, scientific and other useful knowledge amongst its members". This was to be achieved by maintaining a circulating library, reading room and art gallery and the establishment of classes and lectures.

The building was completed in 1842 and since then has been renovated and redeveloped to accommodate Melbourne’s changing cultural needs. The building is classified by the National Trust and included on the Victorian Historic Buildings Register and the Register of the National Estate.

The Athenaeum is now a three-storey brick building with a classical stuccoed façade, which is an example of the boom style architecture applied in the late 1880s. The facade features pilasters, label moulds, a bracketed cornice and a parapet in the centre of which is the niche containing the statue of Athena. The awning features a decorative pressed metal underside.

When originally completed, it was a two-storey rendered brick structure set back from and raised above street level on a grassy rise behind a cast iron fence and with a Doric porticoed entrance. It contained a library, reading room, a Hall in which the Municipal Council met and other important meetings were held, and accommodation for the Town Clerk.

By 1857, two single-storey wings had been added to the facade on either side of the entrance and out to the street. In 1872, a new Hall, designed by architect Alfred Smith, in the re-named Melbourne Athenaeum, was opened by the Governor. It was approximately thirty metres long by fifteen metres wide with a raised platform extending across the full width at the northern end.

Along the east and west walls ran a clerestory of double-hung sashes above which were ventilators behind ornamental grilles. Eight hundred people could be accommodated (seated) in the hall and 150 in the balcony, which was situated at the south end supported on elegant light iron columns.

The next phase of construction occurred in the mid 1880s, when the front of the building as it now stands was constructed. In 1886 the new building was opened. This represented essentially a remodelling of the area between the new hall of 1872 and Collins Street. The architects for the new work were Smith and Johnston.

In 1910, the upper hall was converted into an Art Gallery, and in 1913 the main Library was renovated. In 1921, the hall was leased to Frank Talbot, who engaged the firm of Henry White and Gurney architects to convert the hall into a theatre. The awning was added at this time and the work was completed in 1924.

The Athenaeum's first tenant was the Melbourne City Council which held its meetings here while the Town Hall was built.  The Athenaeum housed Melbourne’s earliest museum collection and was the venue for lectures by Mark Twain and Sir Redmond Barry.

The first feature film, The History of the Kelly Gang, was premiered as was the first ‘talkie’, The Jazz Singer, before the then cinema space was transformed into theatres. The theatres have been graced by some of the finest Australian and international performers, including Dame Nellie Melba, Sir Laurence Olivier and Barry Humphries.

The Athenaeum Art Gallery operated from 1903 to 1971 where many artists and art groups exhibited paintings, including such famous names as Arthur Boyd, Rupert Bunny, Arthur Streeton, William Rowell and H Septimus Power.

Throughout the 170 years, the Athenaeum has been home to a subscription-based, lending library. Today, the Library holds a 60,000 strong collection and hosts a growing program of authors talks and book launches.

Today's Athenaeum also houses the Athenaeum Theatre and Comedy Club, a café and retail shop - all of which are leased to managers.

Click here to download Timeline of the Athenaeum.

Information about the building’s architectural history taken from the

Register of the National Estate (Place ID: 5199)

Victorian Heritage Register (VHR H0501)

Heritage Buildings Council (HI H7822-1748)