Tour Melbourne's Iconic Buildings

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Posted 2023-10-01 by Gayle Beveridge-Marien ⇒ follow

Melbourne has a long and interesting history. It is a history reflected in its most iconic buildings and one that is open for you to see. Don’t miss these guided tours of the Melbourne Town Hall and the Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade.

MELBOURNE TOWN HALL TOUR
The official opening of Melbourne’s current town hall took place on the 11th of August 1870. In 1925, a damaging fire led to rebuilding and enlargement and the structure we know today, which takes pride of place on the corner of Swanston and Collins Streets. Despite the prevalence of modern high-rise buildings in today’s Melbourne, the town hall clock tower is still easily spotted.

You’ll get a sense of the history on this guided tour. In the Grand Council Chambers take in the spectacular ceiling leadlight, the tall ornate windows, and the regal historic furniture in this wonderful place where the past meets the present and marches to the future.

As you stand on the Portico Balcony, try to imagine how the Beatles felt when they stood here in 1964, high above the thousands of fans below.

Here’s what you need to know to join a guided tour:
Where: 90 to 130 Swanston Street, Melbourne
When - Days: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
When—Times: From 11am to 12pm and again from 1pm to 2pm.
Closed: Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Cost: Free
Website: https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-to-do/melbourne-town-hall-tours
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (03) 9658 0658
Online Bookings: https://comdigital.wufoo.com/forms/zc6ntjp10aavdd/
(Information correct as of 1st October 2023)

ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING DOME PROMENADE TOUR
The Royal Exhibition Building was originally constructed for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, which together with the 1888 exhibition, attracted more than three million visitors. Following that, the building hosted Australia’s first federal parliament. The building continued to be the home of the federal parliament until 1927 and, for most of that time, was also where the Victorian parliament met. We know it best today for the outstanding exhibitions it houses and has housed for more than 140 years.

The Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade was a feature of the 1880 and 1888 exhibitions. It offers superb views overlooking the Carlton Gardens and the Melbourne skyline. What would those 1880s visitors to the promenade would think if they could see our gardens and skyline now, more than a century on? Would they be amazed or dismayed, excited or overwhelmed? We can only wonder, but we don’t have to wonder what we would think. We can take a tour and see for ourselves. Nor do we have to wonder about the building's rich and vibrant history as the tour includes an exhibition that explores the building’s significant history and varied uses over time.