A Brief History of Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a product of the optimism, enthusiasm and energy of the people of Melbourne in the late nineteenth century. In 1879, when the foundation stone was laid, Melbourne was a prosperous city basking in the wealth from the richest gold rush in the world. How better to publicise the achievements and opportunities in the (then) colony of Victoria than by organizing and hosting an international exhibition?
The magnificent Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens was completed in 1880 for Melbourne's first International Exhibition. The cultural, industrial and technological achievements of more than 30 nations were proudly displayed to a public thirsting for information and new ideas. The diverse range of exhibits included steam locomotives, fine china, silks and woollen textiles, lawn mowers, sewing machines, precious jewellery, paintings and statues, and decorative pottery. The International Exhibition was a huge success. Over eight months, more than one million people visited the eight hectares of exhibitions.
In 1888 the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition was held to promote the centenary of European settlement in Australia. This exhibition was officially opened for six months and the attendance was just over two million, nearly double the population of Melbourne at the time. It still qualifies as the biggest event ever held in Melbourne, surpassing the 1956 Olympic Games.
Since then the building has hosted a wide variety of local, national and international events, including trade exhibitions, conventions, concerts and performances, sporting fixtures, lectures, demonstrations and a range of important civic events. The most important of these was the opening of the first Commonwealth Parliament of Australia on 9 May 1901, by the Duke of Cornwall and York, the heir to the throne. More than 10 000 guests were present, including politicians, naval and military officers, judges, consuls, mayors and clergy. The building was again the location for a special sitting of Parliament during the 2001 Centenary of Federation celebrations.
Illuminating the Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building has a long history of being illuminated at night; in 1888 during the Centennial International Exhibition it was illuminated both outside and in. In 1901, for the celebrations around the opening of the first Federal Parliament, the building was lit with festoons of small incandescent lights. More recently this has been enhanced with fibre optics and digitally created images.
The Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne: A Guide
By Elizabeth Willis
Published by Museum Victoria, 2004
ISBN 0 9577471 4 4
RRP A$19.95
22.0 x 22.0 cm
Softcover
64pp, col. & b/w illus.
This illustrated guidebook is an introduction to the rich history of the Royal Exhibition Building. It gives vivid descriptions of the great exhibitions and fascinating information on other activities that the building has accommodated, ranging from the opening of the first federal parliament to Ideal Home shows, a fever hospital after the First World War to a place for peace rallies and religious meetings.
The book provides a social history of one of Melbourne's most loved icons, and an insight into why it has been nominated for World Heritage listing.
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