Archives and Special Collections

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Held deep in the library and in our archives are the treasures of the University.

Our collections include rare books, music, maps, and prints, and we hold original items from musical scores to manuscripts from Australia, East Asia and the world. Our 20 kilometres of archives hold records of the activism, politics, business, social movements and significant individuals that have shaped our society. It is one of the most varied, richest, and largest university archives in Australia. Our collections are available to students, staff and the general public for their own research, accessible via the Baillieu Reading Room, as well as being embedded in a number of our online and face to face classes.

31/10/2026

Happy Halloween! 🦉🎃👻

If you're in the mood to explore the gothic, we've got you covered with wealth of gothic research, compiled for our past exhibition Dark Imaginings: Gothic Tales of Wonder. Explore a range of research essays about vampires, graveyard poetry, ghost photography and more: library.unimelb.edu.au/asc/whats-on/exhibitions/dark-imaginings

Image: F.O.Morris, A history of British birds, 1851-1857, London: Groombridge and Sons, Rare Books Collection.

28/10/2026

Our public programs are now over for the year, but we're busy planning a bunch of great events to bring you in 2027.

Don't miss your chance to find out programs before they book out - sign up to our quarterly newsletter for early access 🔗eepurl.com/jiUKT2

🔗

21/10/2026

Definitely barbeque weather here in summery Melbourne and we're channeling the excitement of this hungry young diner, from our Commercial Travellers’ Association of Victoria (CTA) Collection ☀

The collection features historical annual magazine issues, cover art, and over 1,200 promotional photographs published from 1905 to 1976 providing a snapshot of life all over Australia.

Learn more about the collection: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-birth-of-Australias-holiday-road-trip

Image: Cooking barbeque, photograph, undated, The Commercial Travellers' Association, University of Melbourne Archives, UMA-ITE-1979016202268

15/10/2026

Meet Dr Callum Blackmore, our recently appointed Curator, Rare Music. We’re thrilled to have Callum join our team caring for and providing access to our incredible Rare Music Collection. He’s been busy exploring the collection its possibilities for teaching and research with colleagues across the campus and beyond.

Callum has held a number of prominent appointments internationally, including a role at Columbia’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

10/10/2026

Charles Condor, The key of blue, c1890s-1909
watercolour, 2021.0058.000.000, Prints & Drawings Collection

Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gift Program by Elizabeth Lane in memory of Richard Lane, 2021.

01/10/2026

Only one week left to book your ticket for our next Spotlight program, showcasing The Tale of Urashima scroll, a 10-metre long 17th century Japanese nara picture scroll depicting a time-bending supernatural folk tale.

Book your place - go.unimelb.edu.au/oo4h

24/09/2026

We're ready to spring into the warm, wet and windy days of Poorneet season ☀🌦 ☂

Image: The End of a Hand-Spring, photograph, 5 December 1897, Photograph albums of Wilfrid Russell and Mabel Grimwade, University of Melbourne Archives, UMA-SRE-20020003

21/09/2026

Our next Spotlight program unveils an incredible new acquisition to our collections. Join us on Thursday 8 October as Dr Mark Erdmann reveals ingishts into The Tale of Urashima scroll, a 10-metre long 17th century Japanese picture scroll (nara emaki) which depicts a time-bending supernatural folk tale.

Book your ticket - go.unimelb.edu.au/oo4h

20/09/2026

We recently shared photos of Paper and Book Conservator Peter Mitchelson conserving a book from our collection. We're sharing the 'after' photos of the book, restored to beautiful condition and ready for public view.

📖Robert Sweet, Flora Australasica, or, A selection of handsome, or curious plants, natives of New Holland, and the South Sea islands, James Ridgway, London, 1827–28, Rare Books Collection

10/09/2026

We're excited to share our upcoming program, Spotlight On: Q***r provenance in archives will be held on Thursday 15 October.

Join archivist Morgan Flack along with Q***r Archive specialist Dr Elliot Freeman as they explore the possibilities in re-describing archival collections and considerations for building future q***r archives.

Book your place - go.unimelb.edu.au/h84h

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Address

3rd Floor, Baillieu Library
Melbourne, VIC
3010

Website

https://library.unimelb.edu.au/asc

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