The Melbourne Story at Melbourne Museum
The largest exhibition ever developed by Museum Victoria, The Melbourne Story will reveal Melbourne's fascinating history and development when it opens this month.
More than three years in development, the permanent exhibition is the most comprehensive ever created about Melbourne and will reveal the extraordinary riches of the city to hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists.
The Melbourne Story reveals key moments and major changes in the city's history. The exhibition examines Melbourne through key time periods, from the early 1800s through to present-day, enabling visitors to explore the social, cultural and physical character of Melbourne over time.
A re-creation of a working class house from the early 1900s, a cinema playing Melbourne films from the 1920s to the 1940s and treasures from Melbourne's Great Exhibitions also feature in the $3.8 million exhibition.
The Melbourne Story has been created by Melbourne's most eminent historians, curators and conservation staff. It features more than 1200 objects from Museum Victoria's collection, including a historic bark canoe from the Yarra River, a restored Cobb & Co coach, a carriage from the Luna Park Big Dipper and the much-loved ‘Little Men' from Coles' Book Arcade.
A crowd favourite, the racing champion Phar Lap, will have a new, specially designed home in the exhibition featuring never-before-seen memorabilia, such as the last saddle he wore and an original catalogue for the sale of the horse, with the hand-written note, “Good walker, great shoulder, very strong made colt”.
Media contact: Jessica Bendell, Melbourne Museum on 03 8341 7726 or email jbendell@museum.vic.gov.au