Chinese petition
To celebrate Chinese Language Day we re-share episode 10 of our Look History in the Eye podcast. In this episode, Anna Kyi explains the importance of 19th Century Victorian Chinese petitions in understanding the Australian Chinese immigrant experience of the goldfields. go.vic.gov.au/4mBZpDA
The Law Week program is out!
Our sold out tour from last year 'The Constitution, the Governor and Royal Assent' is back! events.humanitix.com/the-constitu...
Don't miss out on a great collection of events! www.viclawweek.org.au
Fake cereal packet called Krunchy Kapitalism's Eat the Rich. Bite into the Broligarchy! Goes down easy, like their workers rights. Depicted in a spoon is the head of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.
Run, don't walk! There's just over 2 weeks left to see 'Behind the Lines' in Melbourne!
Cartoon by @nordacious.bsky.social!
Our latest episode of Look History in the Eye, Melbourne follows Sean Reynolds into the archives, where his Melbourne Ghost Signs research leads him through criminal files and forgotten stories of women long overlooked. Listen through Spotify, Apple Podcasts or our website: go.vic.gov.au/4snv2SM
Two people admire an exhibition display.
More tickets have been released for April's public tour! Discover the museum beyond the walls with one of our expert guides!
A reminder that we do not accept resale tickets.
Photograph of the exterior of the Old Treasury Building.
*ACCESS NOTICE*
Unfortunately the Old Treasury Building lift is currently not operational. We are trying to get it working ASAP, but will likely be offline for 48 hours.
We apologise for the inconvenience.
Old Treasury Building Easter Trading Hours Good Friday 3 April CLOSED Easter Sunday 5 April CLOSED Easter Monday 6 April OPEN 10am-4pm
Please note: OTB will be closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday. OPEN Easter Monday!
Wonderful to have you back!
Did you miss ourtalk on Friday with @goldingcartoons.bsky.social, @meganjherbert.bsky.social and Matt Jones, curator at Museum of Australian Democracy?
You're in luck! The recording is now available on our YouTube Channel!
Two dinosaurs are talking. One asks, what's your number one issue? the other answers, cost of living. Meanwhile an asteroid hurtles towards them illustrating the cause of their extinction.
Have you enjoyed the ‘Behind the Lines’ exhibition? Delve deeper with our conversation next week with @goldingcartoons.bsky.social and Museum of Australian Democracy curator Matt Jones. They’ll be joined by guest @meganjherbert.bsky.social!
'Behind the Lines' is on display at OTB until 3 May 2026.
Mabel Ambrose was a 17 year-old seamstress and domestic servant from South Yarra. In 1898 she was taken to see Madame Olga Radalyski, to help her ‘get rid of her trouble’. What followed was a gruesome tragedy and and a case that would grip the nation!
#WomensHistoryMonth
March is #WomensHistoryMonth and we're revisiting our 'Wayward Women?' exhibition.
Starting with the most notorious: Caroline Hodgson AKA Madame Brussels!
Exhibition space with many framed works.
Get excited! 'Behind the Lines' travelling from the Museum of Australian Democracy is up at the OTB! We're excited to be the only Victorian venue for this always entertaining (and thought provoking) exhibition!
We'll be sharing some of our favourite cartoons soon!
Last day is Sunday 3 May 2026.
Did you miss out talk last week as part of the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival Independent Programme? Good news! It's now available to watch on our YouTube channel!
We are very excited to announced that the Museum of Australian Democracy and OTB will be holding an online PD session for educators on media literacy and using 'Behind the Lines' cartoons in classroom settings!
Thursday 12 March at 4pm. Free, registration essential.
The session will be recorded.
People have been creatively using fashion waste for more years than we can imagine! In this free talk Dr Lorinda Cramer examines the archives of one of Melbourne's largest deparment store chains and how they were turning waste to profit!
Blue cotton 1850s crinoline dress.
1920s 'flapper' dress, cream with bead embroidery.
Did you know the OTB has a small collection of historic dresses? Your exclusive chance to view some of them in person is part of the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s Independent Programme! events.humanitix.com/crinoline-fl...
Old Treasury Building Summer Hours. 25 January 10am-4pm, 26 January closed, 27 January, closed, 28 January 10am-4pm (regular hours resume)
Please note, the museum will be CLOSED due to extreme heat forcast on Tuesday 27 January 2026.
The museum will also be CLOSED on the public holiday Monday 26 January.
Sounds tasty!
In 'Cuttings, Combings, Fettlings and Flock: Fashionable Consumption and Australian Wool ‘Waste’' Dr Lorinda Cramer will explore fashion and its resulting waste.
FREE ONLINE:
Join Margaret Anderson on a tour of the OTB costume displays in 'Crinoline, Flapper & Mini: Transformative Fashion Moments'
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL $25:
OTB is excited to be joining the magnificent line up of events in this years PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival Independent Programme!
Discover our events below:
Arrival of the gold escort. Illustration shows a 3 storey stone building with a crowd of people out the front. Image courtesy State Library Victoria.
Slightly blurry black and white photograph of a three storey building. Image courtesy Royal Historical Society Victoria.
Black and white photograph of a three storey building. Image courtesy State Library Victoria.
Did you know? The Old Treasury Building is the third building to hold that title. The first Treasury was in William Street followed by 300 Queen Street. While the William Street building has been demolished, the Queen Street building is still there!
Some exciting records released!
19th century building under construction. The stone building has a metal scaffolding with a crane resting on either side of the metal construction.
Did you know it took around 60 workmen to build the Old Treasury Building?
Their equipment seems basic now, but this was the first documented use of a travelling crane in Melbourne!
Old TReasury Building Holiday Hours. 24 December 10am-4pm. 25-27 December CLOSED. 28-31 December 10am-4pm. 1 January CLOSED. 2 January 10am-4pm (regular hours resume)
The Old Treasury Building will be open across the holiday period, except for the public holidays.
Our Monthly public tour will be running at 11am on 28 December, the perfect last minute gift!
Looking for affordable gift ideas? Did you know we have a $10 or less section in our online store? Some great items on offer including a new design of our best selling lens cloth!
A great photos! We asked around and we've had classes in Japanese, Indonesian, French, Chinese, Latin and English!
Did you miss our talk on the new 'Swinging 60s' exhibition last week?
Good news! It's now available on our YouTube channel!
