Experience the grand Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute heritage building and collection in this special Ballarat-based Rare Book Week event.
As part of Melbourne’s annual Rare Book Week, The Ballaarat Mechanic’s Institute will be unlocking their collection for the public to see.
This free event on Friday 26 July held at Ballaarat Mechanics Institute on Sturt St, Ballarat Central will offer a glimpse into the archives, library and heritage book collection housed in the iconic building.
Rare Book Week: The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute Collection
Where: Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt St, Ballarat Central VIC 3350
When: 26 July 2024, 1:00pm–3:00pm
Cost: Free
Booking: Bookings required here.
Stay up to date with what’s happening within the region’s art scene here.
View this post on Instagram
For two hours, from 1pm until 3pm, participants will be able to dive into the largest and most intact collection of material relating to Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Established in 1859, the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute has prided itself on the seeking and collecting of knowledge through education, recovering and storing rare and valuable items from a major Victorian regional centre.
Over the years, Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute has welcomes a diverse group from founding fathers, to miners to industry workers to collect and compile data and knowledge. Join Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute and State Library Victoria in exploring some of the highlights from the collection.
This open event is just one of the exciting pieces of the Melbourne Rare Book Week program. With free talks and events running across the state, Rare Book Week celebrates the importance of books, literacy and literature in our lives, and has become a key event in literary in Melbourne’s bursting event calendar since 2012.
The Ballaarat Mechanic’s Institute preview celebrates just this, along with showing the importance of archiving for historical preservation and knowledge transfer. If you cannot make the Rare Book Week events, you can still opt for a tour of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, with weekly run sessions.
Book your tickets now here.
