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Virtual Tour, Page 4

Marble Staircase

These stairs were built in 1913 to link the foyer, Queen's Hall and the new domed reading room. The stairtreads are Carrara marble from Italy. The walls and balustrade are limestone quarried from Buchan, Victoria. Fossils can be found in the balustrade in particular. (This area is currently closed to the public.)

Stained Glass

The stained glass windows feature the Latin inscription taken from Cicero, Delectant domi non impediunt foris peregrinantur, which translates as 'Books are a delight at home and no hindrance abroad'. This motto was chosen by Sir Redmond Barry, and was stamped on the cover of many of the Library's older books. (This area is currently closed to the public; however, you can view the windows by looking upwards from the foot of the marble stairs.)

Mural detail showing procession of farmers with their produce

Landing & Murals

Over the entrance to Queen's Hall - once the Library's Art, Music and Performing Arts Library - is a huge mural entitled War by Harold Septimus Power. Acquired by the Library in 1924, the Trustees conducted a competition to select an appropriate mural for this space to form a memorial of the Great War.

Mural detail showing muscular man holding bowl of fruit on head

On the walls above the old entrance to the domed reading room is Mervyn Napier Waller's mural, Peace after Victory, which was purchased by the Library in 1929. This mural and many other works of art were acquired under the terms of the Felton Bequest.

Alfred Felton was a Melbourne businessman and philanthropist who, on his death in 1904, left half his estate for the purchase of works of art for the National Gallery of Victoria - until 1968 the National Gallery was housed in the same complex as the Library and the Museum.

(This area is currently closed to the public; however, the murals may be glimpsed by looking upwards from the foot of the marble stairs.)

The Queen's Hall

This is the original building of the Melbourne Public Library. It was designed by Joseph Reed, who later became a prominent Melbourne architect. By 1859, the Library needed additional space, so an extension was built to the south of the central hall. This was opened on 24 May 1859 - Queen Victoria's birthday - and was named The Queen's Reading Room. Queen's Hall is now the name of the whole of the first floor facing Swanston Street. (This area is currently closed to the public.)

To complete your tour, return to the Front Foyer.

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