Melbourne Directories

Melbourne directories published from 1857 - first appearing as Sands & Kenny's directory (1857-59), then Sands, Kenny & Co.'s directory (1860-61), and finally as the long-lasting Sands & McDougall's directory - record the names, addresses and occupations of residents and businesses across Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs. Digitised copies provide a critical source for local and family historians as well as anyone with an interest in broader patterns of urban transformation. Explore...

The Everyday War

Most Australians experienced World War I not on the battlefields of Europe but in the cities and towns where they lived and worked. The Everyday War explores the experience of WWI through one collection of documents in order to tell the big and small stories of war in the city. Read More...

Civic Treasures

A selection of sources from the pre-goldrush period show us the landscape of the young town in the 1840s, and reveal some of the concerns of its early inhabitants expressed in the letters they wrote to the municipal council. Read More...

Letterheads

Throughout Melbourne's history, stationery letterheads have exhibited an enormous range of style and content, and are a particularly rich visual source about the city's past. They symbolise aesthetic and design elements, and promote the commercial demands of advertising and boosterism. Read More...

A Different Kind of Feminist

If your idea of a 1970s feminist is a bra-burning, man-hating woman in overalls, you’re not alone. This caricature of the radical feminist disguises the complex nature of second-wave feminism, especially regarding the involvement of migrant and ethnic women. Read More...

Public Art in City Laneways

The Laneway Commissions are dedicated to commissioning new temporary art works developed in response to Melbourne's unique laneway topography. These commissions embrace the energy of urban life and promote innovative and significant works. Read More...

Art & Heritage Collection

The City of Melbourne manages an Art and Heritage Collection comprising both objects and artworks. The outdoor component of the collection includes around 150 artworks, while the indoor element is made up of approximately 6000 historical and contemporary objects. Read More...

Melbourne Conversations

The Melbourne Conversations program is developed and produced by the City of Melbourne's Arts and Culture Branch. Since 2001 it has engaged Melbourne's diverse community and contributed to the city's lively civic culture and public intellectual life. Read More...